Daniel Akaka: “I rise today to address the VA health care system's funding crisis. I thank my colleague, the Democratic leader, Senator…”

“I rise today to address the VA health care system's funding crisis. I thank my colleague, the Democratic leader, Senator Reid, for his determination to ensure that $1.5 billion is provided as soon as possible. At this point, it is widely known that VA is facing a tremendous funding shortfall this year. What we need to do now is ensure that VA gets these funds as expeditiously as possible. I am glad the administration has admitted that there is a shortfall. But I point out that VA officials have proven themselves to be an unreliable source of information. And judging by the supplemental sent forward by the President, they are less than generous, and frankly, less than accurate. The $975 million now proposed by the administration--and carried forward by the House--falls short of addressing all of VA's problems. You need only look at the administration's own estimate for new costs associated with returning service members. VA now believes that 103,000 more veterans will be treated this year. The cost of treating this kind of patient is $5,437 a year, as documented by VA data. Yet, the administration wants to now convince us that, in fact, the cost of treating a patient is less than half of this amount. Again, using VA data, the cost of caring for an additional 103,000 returning veterans is $560 million and not the $273 million suggested by the administration.…”