Honoring Our Veterans And Their Needs

Senator Leahy believes that it is essential that our nation does everything possible to honor its veterans. 

Ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as interventions across the globe, mean that the country is producing more veterans every day.  These brave men and women must know that the country will honor their sacrifice when they return.

Senator Leahy is a staunch advocate for improving health care for our nation's veterans. He works hard to ensure the VA Department's health care system -- especially the White River Junction VA Medical Center in Vermont and its associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Colchester, White River, Bennington, Rutland, and Littleton NH -- remains strong and effective.

Many of Vermont's more than 60,000 veterans access healthcare through the VA Medical Center at White River Junction.  This hospital is one of the nation's best veterans medical centers.  As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over veterans healthcare, Leahy has worked to secure almost $30 million in recent years to go directly to White River Junction VA Medical Center.  This funding has allowed the hospital to make critical renovations, purchase new equipment, expand the surgical unit, and ensure the center's success.

Leahy has also led the charge to increase the baseline budget of the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is based at White River.  The VA reports that the most common combination of diagnoses found among returning combat soldiers is post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and cognitive impairments due to  traumatic brain injuries (TBI).  Leahy believes that it is critical that we take meaningful steps in eliminating the stigma around mental health issues facing our nation's soldiers and that these selfless individuals receive the care they need and have selflessly earned.

Senator Leahy believes that it is unfair to ask our retired service members to pay more for their benefits.  In 2007, 2008 and 2009 the Department of Defense proposed TRICARE fee increases in its defense budget submissions.  Three years in a row Leahy strongly opposed these proposals and three years in a row Congress prohibited the DOD from increasing premiums, deductibles, and co-payments.  He also opposed a recent proposal, which failed, to bill veterans’ private health insurance for service-connected care.

Fortunately, the Obama Administration shares the Senator's priorities and the Fiscal Year 2010 budget submission does not include any increased user fees, deductibles or copayments for vets.  In fact the new budget will expand VA health care coverage to non-disabled Veterans earning modest incomes. Senator Leahy has pushed efforts to re-open the VA's health care system to these so-called Priority 8 veterans, a benefit which was terminated in 2003 to cut costs.  Now, for the first time in six years, we can, and this will mean that over 500,000 more Veterans will be eligible for VA health care by 2013.  

National Veterans Spending

While the funding situation for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has improved substantially in Vermont and around the country, more must be done to ensure the entire veterans delivery network remains strong.  Since the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2002, more than 870,000 veterans have left active duty making them eligible for benefits and services provided by the VA.

This year the President has requested a $112.8 billion VA budget for 2010, the largest percentage increase (15 percent) requested by a President in over 30 years.  The new budget includes an almost $5 billion increase in funding for veterans healthcare with a particular focus on expanding mental health programs. Funding increase have also been targeted to meet the specific needs of women Veterans (up $15 million), providing more education benefits under the new GI Bill (up $9.6 billion) and improving the management and timeliness of the administration's benefits and claims processing.

Senator Leahy is a co-sponsor of legislation to fund the VA a year in advance.  This would mean that Congress would, right now, be considering funding for the VA in Fiscal Year 2011, instead of FY2010.  That will allow the VA to avoid the cuts that come with operating under the continuing resolutions, which arise when Congress fails to complete appropriations bills before the beginning of a new fiscal year.  It would also allow the department to more smartly distribute funding, planning far ahead.