On the recordJuly 23, 2014
I want to highlight a tragic story that emerged last week that captures how the failures of the Veterans Administration, those failures are hurting our veterans. For 2 years, Vietnam veteran Michael Sulsona, from Graniteville, New York, a double amputee, had been waiting for a new wheelchair from the VA. His request was ignored. On July 7, his wheelchair fell apart again while he was shopping at his local Lowe's home improvement center. What happened next captures the essence of American compassion and concern for our Nation's veterans. Three of Lowe's employees immediately jumped into action and said to the veteran, ``We're going to make this chair like new.'' Forty-five minutes after the store closed, they delivered on their promise. These three men embodied the American spirit by immediately helping this veteran because they knew it was the right thing to do, and because they knew that this veteran had made tremendous sacrifices in defense of their freedom. These three men should be commended for their selfless action, and the VA should be embarrassed for its failure to meet the needs of this veteran. ____________________
