On Thursday June 30th, Houston Ernst of Congressman Blake Farenthold (R-TX-27) organized a tel-conference call regarding VA issues. Present were representatives from Washington DC VA, Biro and Jeff Milligan, (VSIN 17) veterans service officers from Corpus Christi, McAllen, and Farenthold's staff members. Also present were veterans participating from Harlingen.
It was a good meeting. Part of the meeting dealth with daily problems at the VA clinics regarding services rendered and how veterans are treated. An attempt to discuss Veterans Benefits Claims was set aside for this conference and it was agreed that another meeting on the subject would be forthcoming. Some participating want someone from the Houston VARO to be present at that future meeting. I was also mentioned to the participants from VA DC that veterans want the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to visit the south Texas and meet with veterans.
Milligan gave a power point presentation bringing those participating up to date. The power point was the same on that was presented to veterans at the last MAC meeting. It appears that those at VA DC are very much aware that the local VA will be submitting a proposal for Inpatient and Emergency services in south Texas. The proposal will be the package that is being talked about relative to HB 1318 submitted by Congressman Cuellar. It will be submitted to the VA's SCIF planning.
It was difficult to identify who was talking at times and Houston agreed to send those participating a list of the participants and whom they represented. This the first meeting of its kind that has occurred in south Texas. For the very first time, we were able to talk to staff at the VA in DC.
Local veterans participated using the telephone intercom at Senator John Coryn's Harlingen Office provided by regional director Ana Garcia.
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