Political Quotes

“H.R. 3643, as amended, is an omnibus health care bill which tackles a broad spectrum of issues affecting special veteran populations--women, veterans exposed to toxic and hazardous substances, and veterans suffering with chronic mental illness. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased that this bill includes two provisions I introduced last year. One calls for VA to establish a committee of experts to assess its mental health programs and make recommendations for improvements. The other authorizes appropriations for VA to establish up to five centers of excellence that would provide mental health research, education, and clinical care. Mr. Speaker, I think it's important to appreciate that more than 50 percent of all eligible veterans who suffer from severe mental illness rely on VA for care; that's more than five times the proportion of veterans in the general population who use VA for any health care. The Department reports that 64 percent of those veterans are service-connected for a psychiatric condition. I believe these data underscore the importance of VA mental health programs, and the need for this legislation. I urge Members to support H.R. 3643.”