Sanders: VA Must Not Be Privatized

Friday, December 30, 2016

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, issued the following statement Friday in response to reports that President-elect Donald Trump is considering privatizing the Department of Veterans Affairs: 

“Privatizing the VA would be an insult to the more than 22 million veterans who risked their lives to defend our country and it would significantly lower the quality of health care they receive. Our goal, shared by The American Legion and other major veterans’ organizations, must be to improve the VA, not destroy it. When men and women put their lives on the line to defend us, the president must listen to them, not to the Koch brothers and their extreme right-wing, anti-government ideology. We will vigorously oppose any and all efforts to privatize the VA.

“The president-elect should listen to American Legion Executive Director Verna Jones, who recently said the nation’s largest veterans’ organization ‘would like the Trump administration to know that we value our Department of Veterans Affairs’ because ‘dollar-for-dollar, there is no better care or value available anywhere in the United States – period.’

“The president-elect should listen to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. ‘Politicians, pundits and politically-motivated organizations are using the national crisis in access to care at the Department of Veterans Affairs as justification to dismantle and privatize the VA health care system, with some even proposing that veterans be charged for their service-connected care. The VFW says no! Veterans must not stand idle as politicians who never served or use the VA health care system dictate when and where veterans can receive care.’

“The president-elect should listen to Paul Rieckhoff of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America who said, ‘The worst case scenario within the vets community is a total dismantling of everything they worked generations to create. There is a growing fear it is all going to get burned down.’

“The veterans’ organizations are right. We must protect the VA, not destroy it.”

Sanders sees hiring vets to process claims as part of backlog solution

Sanders sees hiring vets to process claims as part of backlog solution
Navy Times
Rick Maze
Staff Writer
May. 13, 2013

Hiring veterans to process claims could be part of the solution to eliminating the backlog of disability claims, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman believes.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent who became the veterans’ committee chairman in January, sees hiring veterans for claims processing and adjudication positions as one step among many that are needed to improve the timeliness and accuracy of claims.

Sanders noted that the Veterans Affairs Department lost about 6 percent of its claims staff in fiscal 2012. This created openings that could be filled by veterans to “create a generation of adjudicators throughout VA who can identify with the experiences of the population they serve,” he said in a statement.

Sanders introduced a bill May 9 that calls for creation of a working group within VA that would look at how to hire veterans and also look at how to evaluate employees who work on claims.
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Maybe someone is paying attention to Wounded Times?
Department of Veterans Affairs should draft temps

Homeless veterans legislation aims to get veterans off the streets

When the government does something wrong, I always point it out so when they do something right, it is only fair to praise them. Take a look at what the numbers were in 2002 and you'll know the VA and congress have gotten this right.

Homeless Veterans
April 25, 2013

The chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs today proposed legislation to help the Department of Veterans Affairs meet its goal to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015. The Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2013 is sponsored by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Richard Burr (R-N.C.). While there has been a 17 percent decline in the number of homeless veterans since 2009, there still were more than 62,000 homeless veterans as of the latest count by the VA. “We must continue to invest in the progress that has been made and remove any remaining barriers to housing for veterans,” Sanders said.

“Our veterans served our country with honor and they should not be forgotten when they return home,” Burr said. “Helping homeless veterans get off the street and back on their feet is our obligation, and this legislation is an important step in that direction.” John Driscoll, president and CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, welcomed what he called “the most comprehensive and well-resourced homeless veterans assistance bill ever introduced in Congress.” Driscoll said the bill “provides the support necessary to ensure our nation’s plan to end veteran homelessness succeeds.”
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This is how many were homeless in 2002 when I wrote FOR THE LOVE OF JACK, HIS WAR/MY BATTLE

We ask so much of those who serve this nation and we need to start asking where will we be when they are warriors no more?

FROM THE NATIONAL COALITION OF HOMELESS VETERANS
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
STATE FUNDED HOMELESS BEDS
HOMELESS VETERANS

AK 7
350

AL 27
5,275

AR 80
4,389

AZ 219
6,190

CA 2,713
49,250

CO 72
3,457

CT 137
2,900

DC 175
9,403

DE 15
600

FL 492
19,231

GA 81
9,852

HI 118
3,000

IA 17
1,600

ID 10
400

IL 158
19,943

IN 138
1,600

KS 27
1,259

KY 153
2,100

LA 186
4,620

MA 477
2,700

MD 126
2,800

ME 3
1,000

MI 69
5,171

MN 42
1,961

MO 96
13,549

MS 40
1,400

MT 17
320

NC 247
6,805

ND 48
1,100

NE 12
560

NH 72
437

NJ 193
8,300

NM 26
3,600

NV 219
5,500

NY 354
44,700

OH 258
9,697

OK 42
1,750

OR 143
8,450

PA 206
10,166

RI 23
400

SC 50
3,850

SD 16
430

TN 230
2,972

TX 256
19,640

UT 114
575

VA 98
2,450

VT 10
1,200

WA 167
6,850

WI 209
1,132

WV 52
531

WY 31
1,175

PR 0
50

total 8771
316,640

These are men and women just like Jack so when you read our story remember how many of them got to be where they are today. Some do not have PTSD who end up homeless. Most do have it.

The truth is, most of these veterans were Vietnam Veterans.

Bernie Sanders on frontline for veterans

Bernie Sanders on frontline for veterans
Washington Post
By Steve Vogel
Published: April 14

As an antiwar activist who never served in the military and the first self-proclaimed socialist in the U.S. Senate, Bernard Sanders is at initial glance an unusual choice to chair the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

But Sanders, the tousled-haired 71-year-old Vermont independent who took over the committee in January, has embraced the role with a populist gusto that has won him staunch backing from veterans groups.

“That is odd,” said Peter Gaytan, executive director of the American Legion, whose members gave Sanders a warm reception at the organization’s Washington conference in February. “If you look at his leanings, you wouldn’t think he could care so much about veterans, but he does.”

“He’s very passionate about the issues,” said Bob Wallace, executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “I think he’s going to be very good for veterans.”

Angered that the 2014 budget proposed by the Obama adminstration includes changes in how annual cost-of-living adjustments are calculated, potentially reducing future compensation payments for 3.2 million disabled veterans, Sanders joined in a demonstration Tuesday outside the White House and denounced the plan as “nuts.”
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If you want to know that truth about all of this you can read the shocking truth here.

THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR

Since 2007, Wounded Times has brought you the news from all around the country. This book answers the questions of where we are, how we got here and what can be done to actually live up to what we keep saying we want to do.

Senator Bernie Sanders talks about veterans

Every week Senator Bernie Sanders is on with Thom Hartmann. Senator Sanders is the new Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. No matter what side you are on, we all need to pay attention because it is the job of Congress to do for or to the veterans. This is from the program that just ended.

Watch live streaming video from thomhartmann at livestream.com

Senator Sanders to head Senate Veterans Affairs Committee

Thank you Senator Murray for the work you did. I just hope Senator Sanders will take a good look at all the failures that have happened leading to suicides and attempted suicides going up while Congress kept funding the same failures instead of changing them.

Sen. Murray steps down from head of vets’ panel
Army Times
By Rick Maze
Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Nov 15, 2012

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who stood toe to toe with the Obama administration on expanding government assistance for the caregivers of severely disabled combat veterans, will step down as chairwoman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee to take on a new and bigger role in shaping the federal budget.

Murray announced Thursday she will seek the chairmanship of the Senate Budget Committee in the 113th Congress, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of current chairman Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.

Her move, which will receive almost certain approval from her fellow Senate Democrats, provides an opportunity for Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with and receives committee assignments from Democrats, to become the new chairman of the veterans’ committee.

Murray’s move is no surprise. She has been part of the Senate Democratic leadership and was the Senate chairwoman of the 2011 Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction that tried, unsuccessfully, to reach a bipartisan agreement on taxes and spending.

“I had to really think about stepping down from the [veterans’] committee because these issues have been such a passion for me,” Murray said in an interview. “As I thought about it, I decided I could really fight for veterans just as strong on the budget committee.”
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White River Junction:Peake answers questions at town hall

Home / News / Local / N.H.
In Vermont, new VA chief hears complaints from veterans

By John Curran
Associated Press Writer / June 23, 2008
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt.—Some had beefs about their medical care. Some came to say how great their doctors and nurses were.

Some wanted an answer about a claim, or to find out what Uncle Sam was doing for homeless veterans. One wanted to know where his military records were.

U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake got an earful Monday as about 250 people -- aging veterans, spouses, VA employees -- turned out for the second of two Town Hall-style meetings organized by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. About 175 turned out for an earlier one in South Burlington.

Peake, a West Point graduate and former military surgeon who took the job six months ago, opened the 90-minute meeting at the White River Junction VA Medical Center by telling those gathered for the meeting that his priorities are making the soldier-to-civilian transition a smoother one.

The VA, which employs about 250,000 people and has an annual budget of $80 billion, must improve its "outmoded" system of processing claims and go to a paperless system, he said.

When he opened the room up for a question-and-answer session, no one was shy about calling him on the carpet.

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You have to give Peake some credit because he is trying a lot harder than Nicholson ever did.

Bush funded less for PTSD in 2005 than in past years

WRJ vets hospital gets funding boost

May 3, 2008

By Susan Smallheer Rutland Herald

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The budget for the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder got a 20 percent boost Friday.

Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., both pushed hard for the additional $2 million funding for the $10 million budget for the center, which is headed by Matthew Friedman.

The national center, whose headquarters is at the Veterans' Administration Hospital in White River Junction, had seen its funding reduced since 2005, resulting in cuts in staffing and research, according to Sanders' spokesman Will Wiquist.

Sanders and Leahy had lobbied fellow Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs.

Sanders and Akaka then pushed Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake to restore funding and increase it. Sanders and Akaka met with Peake last month to push the additional funding. Sanders is a member of the committee as well.

According to a letter Sanders and Akaka sent to Peake earlier this year, the funding for the center had increased only 9 percent in the past five years, growing from $9.1 million to $10 million. In 2005, the funding was $10.1 million, but it was cut back to $10 million.

With the cut in funding, the number of full-time equivalent employees at the center dropped from a high of 97 in 1999, to 87 employees, the senators said.

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This has been in the news before but the media, well, they let the report drop out of time slots. Guess they had better things to report on. The price of this action by Bush came at a very, very high price with two occupations causing more PTSD cases and more needless suffering when they could have been healing.

PTSD out of control, under-staffed VA and Akaka wants to know why

Akaka and Sanders Meet with Veterans Affairs Secretary Peake
Urge action on health care eligibility for middle-income vets, National PTSD Center
By Kawika Riley, 4/1/2008 7:45:46 PM
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) and committee member Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT) met with Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake. They discussed funding for the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a proposal to modify VA’s income threshold to make more middle-income veterans eligible for VA healthcare. Akaka, Sanders and other committee members have pressed Secretary Peake on both issues since his recent confirmation as VA Secretary.

“As we move through the final year of this Administration and this Congress, we must work together to find common ground for the sake of our veterans. I appreciate the Secretary’s willingness to work with us on these issues,” said Akaka. Secretary Peake agreed during the meeting to look more closely into the income threshold for veterans, as well as strengthening support for the National Center for PTSD.

Senators Akaka and Sanders wrote Secretary Peake on January 24, 2008, urging him to dedicate more funds to the National Center for PTSD. The Center has taken on a larger mission and workload in recent years, due in part to the increased number of veterans suffering from PSTD. Already, more than 100,000 servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have reported mental health disorders, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Meanwhile, the PTSD Center’s budget, adjusted for inflation, has been flat for the past half-decade, and overall staff levels have been reduced since 1999.

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Now maybe the media will understand why advocates get so angry over all of this! Paul Sullivan of Veterans For Common Sense wouldn't have taken on the enormous task of suing the VA if this was not going on. There would be no need for any legal action if they had taken care of the wounded.

Senator Bernie Sanders: PTSD program for returning GIs to be expanded

Sanders: PTSD program for returning GIs to be expanded
November 19, 2007
BURLINGTON, Vt. --A Vermont program aimed at helping returning GIs get help to address brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder got a boost Monday, with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders announcing new federal funding that will enhance it and begin sowing the seeds for similar programs in other states.

more stories like thisA Department of Defense appropriations bill signed by President Bush contains $3 million for expanding the Vermont National Guard Outreach program and another $3 million for other states to reach out to troops returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The program, which began about a year ago, also reaches out to soldiers back from Army Reserve units or active duty soldiers who have returned to civilian life.

The goal is simple, but the problem isn't.

"This is a hugely important issue, because we are seeing a staggering number of people coming home with PTSD and traumatic brain injury," said Sanders, I-Vt. "It is terribly important that these people get the help they need and in order to do that, we need to do this effectively."

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffering from PTSD jumped by 70 percent over the last year.

The Pentagon says 38 percent of soldiers and 31 percent of U.S. Marines report having psychological concerns after deployment.
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