Jeff Denham: “As we continue to tackle the pressing need for VA health care reform, the last thing our veterans need is even more…”

“As we continue to tackle the pressing need for VA health care reform, the last thing our veterans need is even more uncertainty with the many other benefits that have an equally important impact on their lives. H.R. 5404, the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act, extends several important VA authorities that support the services they rely on every single day. As current military forces overseas draw down, our country must prepare to welcome back thousands of returning soldiers, many of whom are young and aspiring to build a new life for themselves and their loved ones. For the next year, veterans can continue to utilize programs that help them pay off school debt, for health education, and buy affordable homes, helping their transition into civilian life be an easier one. For those veterans who require more day-to-day medical care, they can continue to qualify for child care assistance and specially adaptive housing grants, as well as accessing expanded health services, such as those provided by the VA's 70-plus mobile vet centers around the country. Transportation services to VA medical facilities will also continue, giving peace of mind to the many disabled or rural-based vets that too often find themselves restricted by mobility or distance. In rural districts like mine across the country, veterans often travel over 90 miles for an appointment, disrupting their lives and causing physical and financial hardship.…”