Signing Letters of support

Veteran participants at the American Legion  Post 205 1st Annual Health Fair sign letters in support of a Full Medical Service Center for the valley.  Letters are targeting Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and to members of Congress, Rep. Jeff Miller, Chair, of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, Chair, Sub-Committee of the House on Veterans Health.  All three are requested to place our bill on their agenda for a vote.
If you want to help, call Treto at 226.9176 or Joe Ibarra at 893.0861.

American Legion Health Fair 05 14 2011

World War II veteran, Raul Treto, points at a poster for a Full Medical Services Center for the valley.  He is signing letters to the chair of all Veterans Committees regarding HB 837 and SB 396.  The event was successful because Valley Vets gathered 217 signatures on letters.  The letters were mailed out on May 19, 2011.

Garza: Did anyone ask Obama about a VA hospital for the Valley? | RioGrandeGuardian.com | news source for the border

Garza: Did anyone ask Obama about a VA hospital for the Valley? RioGrandeGuardian.com news source for the border

Valley veterans mount new letter writing campaign | RioGrandeGuardian.com | news source for the border

Valley veterans mount new letter writing campaign RioGrandeGuardian.com news source for the border

The quest for Full Medical Service Center Continues

We have send out letters to the chairpersons of the Veterans Affairs Committees that were assigned House Bill 837 and Senate Bill 396.  Please go to http://www.riograndeguardian.com/ for story.  Veterans need to stay on top of activities regarding plans and strategy for the creation of a Full Service Medical Center in Harlingen, TX.  There is a lot of "buzz" about a VA hospital and that we are going to get one and that it is already approved.  Not so, at the last meeting we had with Jeff Milligan, the local Executive Director, he told us that they were considering filing a proposal to the Strategic Construction Planning Fun of the Veterans Affairs.  That application has to be filed by August 2011.  At this time we do not know if they are indeed going to submit the proposal which will include inpatient beds.  We do not have the specifics of what it is going to be proposed.  However, it will be at the Harlingen Surgical Center.

We need to push HB 837 and SB 396 out of committee.  We need to find a way to reach the persons responsible to placing this bills before their committee's agenda.  We need a vote, whether it is in our favor or not.  We need to see some action in order for us to get and idea if our letters are getting through.  The letters submitted return address is the name and address of the Veteran signing the letter.  He or she will get a response.  As of this writing, we have not received word from any of the veterans that they have received a response.

However this does not mean that we are quitting our efforts.  Better yet, it gives more incentive to continue.
The best place to get information is trough on-line blogs such as:
http://www.riograndeguardian.com/,
http://www.myharlingennews.com/,
http://www.myleadernews.com/
http://www.newsvine.com/

Sommetimes Channel 5 helps us out to get informational news.

In the meantime, if you have not signed our on-line petition, please do so.  Link http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/978/551/374  or just type  Full VA Medical  Medical Center   in the search engine.