On the recordMay 31, 2012
First, let me say thank you to my good friend from the great State of Washington for his cooperation in allowing me to offer this amendment at this time. This amendment specifically dedicates $16 million within the Office of Rural Health to expand the current rural veterans' access to covered health services through qualifying non-VA health providers to a new area within each VISN they currently operate and new VISNs altogether. This came about in talking to veterans who live, in many cases, hours away from the qualified VA facility. It expands a very popular program within the VA that allows these veterans who are in need of health services to visit an approved health care provider closer to them, limiting their cost, the time and travel required to get their needed benefits. At this time, I yield to my friend from Illinois, Congressman Schilling, who's been working tirelessly on this effort of expanding health care for rural veterans.
