Political Quotes

“I rise to urge passage of S. 1226, the Readjustment Counseling Service Amendments of 1994, as reported unanimously by the Veterans' Affairs Committee on November 3, 1993. S. 1226 as reported is based on original legislation introduced by Senators Daschle, Inouye, Wellstone, and myself on July 14, 1993, which proposed numerous changes in the organization, policies, and programs of the Readjustment Counseling Service [RCS], more popularly known as the Vet Center Program. As my colleagues know, vet centers are storefront, community-base centers operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] that offer readjustment counseling services to Vietnam-era veterans and post-Vietnam combat veterans in an informal, user-friendly environment. Since the program was first authorized in 1979, it has grown from 87 facilities to 201 today, operating in all 50 States. Together, these centers have helped more than 1.4 million veterans successfully readjust to civilian life. In the process, the Vet Center Program has established unmatched leadership in such areas as post-traumatic stress disorder, homelessness, disaster assistance, sexual trauma, alcohol and substance abuse, suicide prevention, the physically disabled, and minority veterans. S. 1226 as reported attempts to ensure that the program remains viable, relevant, and responsive to the needs of today's veterans.”