JULY 21ST, 2008 | Polis for Congress
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 19, 2008
CONTACT: Dayna Hanson Morain, Dayna@polisforcongress.com
The Independent Budget Will Be His Standard for Appropriations
(Boulder, CO) – Jared Polis, Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado’s 2nd District, today promised his strong support for our nation’s veterans when he gets to Congress, and said that full funding to meet the needs of veterans health care services would be his priority. The Independent Budget, an annual set of recommendations created by veteran service organizations (VSOs) with strong expertise in evaluating veterans’ needs, will serve as Polis’ guide in Congress on all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funding issues. Polis pointed out that Congress often has failed to act on the VSO’s recommendations, and said the resulting shortfalls in the VA system will demand strong advocates in Congress in coming years.
“I will be a champion for veterans and their families in Congress,” said Polis. “Along with other congressional candidates from across the country, I recently signed onto the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, which has gained over fifty endorsers nationwide that include current members of Congress, high-ranking military personnel and military experts. In the plan, we call for passing and implementing the Veterans’ Health Care Improvement Act of 2007 that will deliver first-rate medical care to all veterans once their tours of duty are over.
“With thousands of our wounded citizen-soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, it is especially critical that we have people in Congress who are committed to making their health care needs a priority. The cost of war continues long after the guns have fallen silent. I will never allow our country to forget the enormous sacrifices of the brave men and women in uniform who have served our nation. And Congress will never balance the budget on the backs of our veterans while I am there.”
Polis said that when funding the VA health care system, Congress must meet appropriations levels that ensure all veterans get timely access to the full continuum of high-quality medical care services, including long-term and mental health care. Polis said he also will support changing he current funding process in Congress to make VA health care a guaranteed, mandatory rather than a discretionary expense.
The Veterans Independent Budget is crafted every year to recommend VA funding levels to members of Congress. It is created by AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Veteran of Foreign Wars.
Casualties in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have put enormous strains on the VA health care system. To meet the needs of wounded men and women returning from there, Congress increased VA’s discretionary budget from $22.8 billion in FY 2001 to more than $43 billion in FY 2008. Next year’s budget will require at least $47.7 billion to meet current needs. By bringing our occupation in Iraq to a swift end with no residual U.S. forces, Jared Polis will ensure that a portion of the $10 billion per month we expend there will be available to fund budget increases in the years ahead to care for America’s veterans.
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JULY 19, 2008
CONTACT: Dayna Hanson Morain, Dayna@polisforcongress.com
The Independent Budget Will Be His Standard for Appropriations
(Boulder, CO) – Jared Polis, Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado’s 2nd District, today promised his strong support for our nation’s veterans when he gets to Congress, and said that full funding to meet the needs of veterans health care services would be his priority. The Independent Budget, an annual set of recommendations created by veteran service organizations (VSOs) with strong expertise in evaluating veterans’ needs, will serve as Polis’ guide in Congress on all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funding issues. Polis pointed out that Congress often has failed to act on the VSO’s recommendations, and said the resulting shortfalls in the VA system will demand strong advocates in Congress in coming years.
“I will be a champion for veterans and their families in Congress,” said Polis. “Along with other congressional candidates from across the country, I recently signed onto the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, which has gained over fifty endorsers nationwide that include current members of Congress, high-ranking military personnel and military experts. In the plan, we call for passing and implementing the Veterans’ Health Care Improvement Act of 2007 that will deliver first-rate medical care to all veterans once their tours of duty are over.
“With thousands of our wounded citizen-soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, it is especially critical that we have people in Congress who are committed to making their health care needs a priority. The cost of war continues long after the guns have fallen silent. I will never allow our country to forget the enormous sacrifices of the brave men and women in uniform who have served our nation. And Congress will never balance the budget on the backs of our veterans while I am there.”
Polis said that when funding the VA health care system, Congress must meet appropriations levels that ensure all veterans get timely access to the full continuum of high-quality medical care services, including long-term and mental health care. Polis said he also will support changing he current funding process in Congress to make VA health care a guaranteed, mandatory rather than a discretionary expense.
The Veterans Independent Budget is crafted every year to recommend VA funding levels to members of Congress. It is created by AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Veteran of Foreign Wars.
Casualties in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have put enormous strains on the VA health care system. To meet the needs of wounded men and women returning from there, Congress increased VA’s discretionary budget from $22.8 billion in FY 2001 to more than $43 billion in FY 2008. Next year’s budget will require at least $47.7 billion to meet current needs. By bringing our occupation in Iraq to a swift end with no residual U.S. forces, Jared Polis will ensure that a portion of the $10 billion per month we expend there will be available to fund budget increases in the years ahead to care for America’s veterans.
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