Charles W. Stenholm: “I am proud tonight to stand and take these 5 minutes in support of the Rural Veterans Access to Care Act of 2003…”

“I am proud tonight to stand and take these 5 minutes in support of the Rural Veterans Access to Care Act of 2003 introduced by my good friend the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne). I am just happy to say I am glad to be in his line-up tonight. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about an issue that is very important to me, the health care of rural veterans and the challenges that these patriotic Americans who have so proudly served our Nation in times of war today face. I am proud to address their concerns about access to health care and the unique obstacles they face for medical treatment. Why is this so important? The answer is very simple. We owe these brave men and women who fought for our freedom and defended our liberty, including those who are doing so tonight as I speak. Today's soldiers are tomorrow's veterans, and we have those in Iraq and Afghanistan doing once again their duty in order that we might remain this free and proud Nation. Mr. Speaker, I come from a very rural district. To say that my district is rural is an understatement. The 17th District of Texas is 33,836 square miles, in fact larger, than six States.”