Political Quotes

“I come to the well today to speak on behalf of this bipartisan bill, which will enable tens of thousands of rural veterans to have greater access to VA outpatient health care. H.R. 3118 provides much-needed authority and allows the VA for the first time ever to enter into sharing agreements with local health care providers so that rural and suburban veterans can benefit from the convenience of utilizing health care services in their local community, to be treated by local doctors and local hospitals they know and trust. For example, in my home district in LaSalle County, IL, the closest outpatient center for veterans is 60 miles away. We have 45,000 veterans in the LaSalle County area. Sixty miles is a long way to travel, and for many veterans it requires that they ask friends and family to take off half a day or a full day just to provide transportation. This past spring, the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. Hutchinson] and the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care held a field hearing in LaSalle County and brought to light the need for some changes in VA authority to be brought forward.”