President Says “Yes We Can” On Important Veterans Issues

April 9, 2009

Washington, DC—President Obama’s announcement today to support advance appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is being warmly welcomed by Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans). The President’s prioritization of the creation of a unified lifetime electronic health record for members of our armed services that will contain their administrative and medical information from the day they first enlist to the day they are laid to rest is also an important step toward better care.

“We are delighted that the President is making veterans a top priority for his administration,” said Homer S. Townsend, national executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America, who attended today’s meeting. “Advance funding will help to ensure that our veterans get quality health care in a more timely manner from VA. The issue of seamless transition of electronic medical records is a nut that needs to be cracked and will remove much of the needless red tape that folks coming home from conflict have to deal with.”

In recent oral and written testimony before the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees, Paralyzed Veterans National President Randy L. Pleva, Sr., noted the fact that VA has received its budget on time—at the start of the fiscal year on October 1—only three times in 22 years. He emphasized that even though Congress provided better funding levels for VA during the past two years, the lengthy appropriations process and delays compromise the ability of VA to conduct effective planning and to deliver timely quality health care and benefits.  Pleva emphasized the need for the passage of legislation that guarantees advance funding for VA. He urged that “sufficient, timely and predictable resources be provided to the VA health-care system so that eligible veterans can receive the care that they have earned and deserve.”

Seamless transition of electronic records between the Department of Defense and VA has been an unresolved issue for many years. The President’s announcement today will eliminate needless delays in ensuring service members and veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned and deserve.