Memorial Day of what Congress Can't Remember

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
May 24, 2014

Mike and Kim Bowman are on the first of six panels of witnesses who were scheduled to testify at the hearing, which will focus on suicide prevention and treatment within the VA health care system.

According to the committee, the Veterans Health Administration estimates there are about 1,000 suicides per year among veterans receiving care through VHA, and as many as 5,000 suicides per year among all living veterans.

At least that was what the news was back in 2007. But to borrow a line from Underdog, "there's no need to fear" because the Congress just voted on yet another bill to prevent suicides.

Oh well, this happened around the same time and there were calls for someone to be fired back in 2008.

Dr. Ira Katz, the VA's mental health director, told the House Veterans Affairs Committee that the e-mail was in poor tone _ even though the body contained "appropriate, healthy dialogue" about the data.

"I deeply regret the subject line," Katz said. "It was an error and I apologize for that."

The e-mail claims 12,000 veterans a year attempt suicide while under department treatment. "Is this something we should (carefully) address ourselves in some sort of release before someone stumbles on it?" the e-mail asks.

In 2008, among people giving testimony came this question. How do you mourn for someone who isn't dead yet?"

HOUSE VETERANS AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH
February 28, 2008
Mental Health Impacts of Iraq War on the Families of Guard/Reserve Veterans. TESTIMONY of Stacy Bannerman, M.S., author of “When the War Came Home: The Inside Story of Reservists and the Families They Leave Behind.” (2006) Wife of National Guard soldier/Iraq War veteran, Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge recipient “How Do You Mourn for Someone Who Isn’t Dead?”

So many other stories from veterans suffering for so many years yet in 2012, after hearing more problems from veterans this was happening.

Congressman Marlin Stutzman (IN-03) and the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Jeff Miller (FL-01) held a veterans’ affairs forum in Fort Wayne Tuesday. Dozens of area vets showed up with concerns ranging from unemployment to mental health.

More than 100 veterans came to the Classic Cafe in Fort Wayne with questions or just wanting to hear what the congressional leaders had to say. Some shared worries about homeless vets not getting the proper care and others about the challenge of getting veterans jobs when they come back from service.

After a question about the increasing amount of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, Miller said the VA hospital is not prepared for the vets that are coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Why wasn't the VA prepared? It was the job of our elected officials to make sure they were but they didn't bother to pay attention to that part of their jobs.

House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee
Full Committee
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA)

which shall have legislative, oversight, and investigative jurisdiction over compensation; general and special pensions of all the wars of the United States.

Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity (EO)

which shall have legislative, oversight, and investigative jurisdiction over education of veterans, employment and training of veterans, vocational rehabilitation, veterans' housing programs, readjustment of servicemembers to civilian life, and servicemembers civil relief.

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (O and I)

which has oversight and investigative jurisdiction over veterans’ matters generally and such other matters as may be referred to the Subcommittee by the Chairman of the full Committee. The Subcommittee provides oversight on programs and operations of the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as those of other federal agencies that pertain to veterans. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Subcommittee conducts hearings, site visits, and investigations nationwide. The Subcommittee’s legislative jurisdiction is over such bills or resolutions as may be referred to it by the Chairman of the full Committee.

Report Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
alert the Committee to fraud and abuse in your agency or other organization. Any personal information you provide us will be kept in strict confidence. If you need assistance with your specific case or benefits, please contact your Member of Congress. To find your Member of Congress, please click here.

House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health

which shall have legislative, oversight, and investigative jurisdiction over the Veterans Health Administration including medical services, medical support and compliance, medical facilities, medical and prosthetic research, and major and minor construction.

Members

Republicans
Dan Benishek (MI)
Dan Benishek (MI)
Chairman
Hon. David Roe (TN)
David Roe (TN)
Hon. Jeff Denham (CA)
Jeff Denham (CA)
Hon. Tim Huelskamp (KS)
Tim Huelskamp (KS)
Hon. Jackie Walorski (IN)
Jackie Walorski (IN)
Hon. Brad Wenstrup (OH)
Brad Wenstrup (OH)
Hon. David Jolly (FL)
David Jolly (FL)
Democrats
Hon. Julia Brownley (CA)
Julia Brownley (CA)
Ranking Minority Member
Hon. Corrine Brown (FL)
Corrine Brown (FL)
Hon. Raul Ruiz (CA)
Raul Ruiz (CA)
Hon. Gloria Negrete-McLeod (CA)
Gloria Negrete-McLeod (CA)
Hon. Ann Kuster (NH)
Ann Kuster (NH)


House Veterans Affairs Committee
Chronological History of the Department of Veterans Affairs
1930
The Veterans Administration was created by Executive Order S.398, signed by President Herbert Hoover on July 21, 1930. At that time, there were 54 hospitals, 4.7 million living veterans, and 31,600 employees.
1933
The Board of Veterans Appeals was established.
1944
On June 22, President Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. (Public Law 346, was passed unanimously by the 78th Congress). This law offered home loan and education benefits to veterans.
1946
The Department of Medicine & Surgery was established, succeeded in 1989 by the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration, renamed the Veterans Health Administration in 1991.
1953
The Department of Veterans Benefits was established, succeeded in 1989 by the Veterans Benefit Administration.
1973
The National Cemetery System (except for Arlington National Cemetery) was transferred to the VA.
1988
Legislation to elevate VA to Cabinet status was signed by President Reagan.
1989
March 15. VA became the 14th Department in the President's Cabinet.

Now we come full circle as if Congress had no time to address the problems veterans faced. As if they had no part it sitting back while it was all happening.

Florida veterans among the longest wait for VA claims

Memorial Day weekend brought news that VA Backlog in Florida had veterans waiting 433 days.

By the end of June there was a report out of the Tampa Tribune with this piece of news released in a report saying that the VA had decided 2,100 claims for Florida veterans.

The St. Petersburg VA Regional Office will now join in VA efforts to complete the disability claims of veterans who have been waiting more than one year for a decision, while completing the final batch of oldest claims in progress, according to the release.

The office has been the subject of complaints by veterans, some of whom have waited more than 560 days for a decision.

There was a backlog in 2007, 2008 and 2009 but there were also huge backlogs long before the media decided it was important enough to cover. Unless the VA is fixed for real they will keep seeing more suffering while waiting. 

This was in 2009. Think about how bad it had been way back then.

Veterans Affairs Department officials have told Congress they are, on average, processing disability compensation claims within 162 days and have a goal of cutting the average to 120 days. But Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., is one of many lawmakers who think there is a limit to how patient veterans could be in waiting for money they are due.

“Backlogs are at the point where veterans must wait an average of six months for a decision on benefits claims and some veterans are waiting as long as four years,” Butterfield said in a statement. “Veterans deserve better than this.”

Butterfield introduced a bill on Friday, HR 3087, that would automatically approve a veteran’s claim if no decision is made by the VA within 18 months. The bill doesn’t say exactly how the VA would do this, but creates a task force to monitor VA to make sure the 18-month deadline isn’t met with an arbitrary denial just before the claim must be paid.

The bill comes as the number of unprocessed veterans claims exceeds 915,000 — a 100,000 jump since the beginning of the year. In testimony two weeks ago before a House committee, VA officials said the current 162 days is 17 days less than one year ago, a sign that they are beginning to make process.

They have been wounded and waiting for us to make sure Congress did the right thing for far too long.