Robert Torricelli: “In my State of New Jersey, the veterans population is facing an epidemic in receiving the health care services they…”

“In my State of New Jersey, the veterans population is facing an epidemic in receiving the health care services they need. They have earned these health care benefits by virtue of their service to our country in the Armed Forces, and I believe, as many other Members of this body believe, that we should make every effort to ensure that the men and women who have served their country in times of war should have access to quality and dependable health care when they need it. The problems that the veterans of New Jersey come across in receiving the care that they need are many. Each year, under the Veterans Service Integrated Network, our region has been seeing its veterans health care funding dwindle as it is reallocated to other parts of the country. This means that there are fewer hospital beds, fewer doctors, fewer nurses, and fewer support staff members to respond to the needs of the 750,000 veterans who still live in New Jersey. This also means that there are fewer facilities where veterans can go to get checkups, prescriptions for much needed drugs or therapy and rehabilitation for ailments incurred during their service. Indeed, a veteran in New Jersey who puts in a request to have a routine checkup may have to wait several months before they receive an appointment. I cannot overstate the critical situation that thousands of New Jersey veterans face each day.”