By U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud(D-Maine)
Last week I wrote about the Fiscal Year 2009 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. That bill contained a number of important provisions that will help our veterans. It provides a total of $93.7 billion for all veterans’ programs, including a substantial increase in funding for mental health care, an increase in the reimbursement rate for veterans who need to travel long distances for care, and a serious investment in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities to prevent another Walter Reed-like incident. The bill adds to this year’s successful passage of a new GI education bill, critical reforms to our military health system, and a pay raise for our troops. Last week I led a congressional delegation to Iraq, Kuwait and Germany. The purpose of the trip was to visit medical facilities in the chain of care for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) service members. As Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, it is important to see first-hand the level and quality of health care being provided to our active duty service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. The care soldiers receive on the battleground is the foundation for what they will need when they enter the VA health care system.
Joining me on the trip were VA Secretary James Peake, Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Miller (R-FL), Congressman Phil Hare (D-Ill.), Congressman John Salazar (D-CO), Congressman Ciro Rodriquez (D-Texas), and Congressman Bill Sali (R-Idaho). It is crucial that my fellow committee members and Veterans Affairs Secretary Peake understand the health care services that our brave men and women receive before they enter the VA health care system.
During the trip we visited a Kuwaiti emergency medical facility, medical aid stations in Baghdad, the Balad Theatre Support Hospital in Balad, Iraq, and the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. We met and talked face-to-face with key medical personnel at these facilities to understand the challenges of combat health care in Iraq.
During the course of our trip, we also had briefings and meetings with Ambassador Deborah Jones, U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait; Lt. General Lloyd Austin, Commander of Multi-National Forces in Iraq; Brigadier General Joseph Caravalho, Lead Surgeon, Multi-National Corps in Iraq; Charlie Ries, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to Iraq; and General David Petraeus, the Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq. These briefing and meetings were very productive and provided valuable insights that we will take back to Congress.
A highlight of the trip was being able to share meals with the troops, including soldiers from Maine. I am so proud of all our men and women in uniform who serve so willingly and bravely in harm’s way everyday. The young men and women I met have chosen to serve, and I am grateful for the sacrifices made by them and their families.
One of the key issues of concern for these service members is making sure that the transition from active duty to veteran is thorough and covers the needs of the individual. Last year, we worked hard to pass legislation that promoted a seamless transition of medical records, care managers and better coordination between the military and the VA.
Progress has been made, but more can be done. Armed with current, real world information and additional perspectives, I look forward to continuing to work on these issues with VA Secretary Peake, the Members of Congress who joined me on this trip, and the members of the full House of Representatives. The service men and women I met on this trip give their best for us everyday. We should do nothing less for them.
