Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I believe one of the Federal Government's most important functions is to support those who have sacrificed so much in the defense of our Nation. Whenever our government fails to meet this responsibility, swift action must be taken. We have heard far too many distressing stories in recent years about the Department of Veterans Affairs failing to provide our veterans the care they deserve. My amendment seeks to address one of these problems by adding the text of H.R. 3216, the Veterans Emergency Treatment Act, to this bill. This language is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and the Disabled American Veterans. In short, my amendment would ensure that every enrolled veteran who arrives at an emergency department of a VA medical facility and indicates an emergency condition exists is assessed and treated in an effort to prevent further injury or death. This is accomplished by applying the statutory requirements of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, to emergency care furnished by the VA to enrolled veterans. Mr. Chairman, my attention was drawn to this issue by one of my own constituents. In February of 2015, a 64-year-old Army veteran arrived at the Seattle VA emergency room in severe pain with a broken foot that had swollen to the size of a football. No longer able to walk, he requested emergency room staff assist him in traveling the 10 feet from his car to the ER entrance.…”