RGV ValleyVets

Position Paper on Justification for VA hospital

2012-02-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

Committee name Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley ad hoc

Topic To build a hospital to meet the healthcare needs of veterans in the lower RGV and Coastal Bend area

Counties Duval, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, Refugio, Kenedy, Jim Hogg,

Webb, Zapata, Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, & Willacy

State Texas

Background Information

The lower Rio Grande Valley region is made up of 8 counties: Kenedy, Jim Hogg, Zapata, Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, & Willacy. Added to the region of need is Webb County, located west of the Zapata County. The Coastal Bend includes the counties of Duval, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, and Refugio.

The firm Booz Allen Hamilton conducted a study in 2007 entitled, VA Health Care Study for Inpatient and Specialty Outpatient Services in the South Texas Valley-Coastal Bend Market. In the study they identified the counties into sectors. Specifically, Sector 1 was identified to be the Coastal Bend counties and Sector 2 was recognized as the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

Group’s Position

The Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) was created to support the construction of a hospital that would meet the healthcare needs of veterans in the lower RGV and coastal bend area. It is the purpose of the Veterans Alliance to address the lack of services offered in clinics versus what can be made available in a hospital, like:

Primary Care
Medical & Surgical Specialty Care
Mental Health
Inpatient Care

Moreover, it is the purpose of the Veterans Alliance to address the travel burdens that have arisen as a result of traveling to San Antonio to obtain care in the areas, such as:

Transportation & Lodging
Van Service
Ambulance Service

While the Booz Allen Hamilton study (2007, p. 31) concluded that “the demand for beds is projected to fluctuate, rising and then declining, compared to the baseline through FY 2025,” the study also added:

“In both sectors, the demand for outpatient specialty care is expected to approximately double and the demand for mental health services is expected to increase by approximately 55 percent between 2005 and 2025. In both sectors, the top four utilized specialties are projected to be podiatry, cardiology, orthopedics, and urology” (2007, p. 32).

Booz Allen Hamilton (2007, p. 34) showed “the gaps between the health care needs of veterans living in the Valley-Coastal Bend market, and the supply of VA health care services available to them. The local clinics meet the primary care needs of Sector One and Sector Two enrollees; however, VA inpatient and outpatient specialty services are not available locally. Sector Two veterans face especially heavy travel burdens traveling approximately ten hours round trip to access inpatient and outpatient specialty care in San Antonio.”

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has declared that “veterans’ health care services in far South Texas were not adequate to meet standards for access to care and the needs and expectations of Valley veterans” (Draft-Statement of Objectives, 2008, p. 1). Additionally, the draft (2008, p. 1) stated, “VA supply does not currently meet the veteran demand for acute inpatient and specialty outpatient care in the Valley.”

In an interview by an Associated Press reporter in 1987, when then U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen and Congressman Eligio Kika de la Garza “expressed frustration and even dismay at the VA’s insistence that a Valley VA hospital has little or no merit.”

Justification Summary

“The Booz Allen study team does not recommend building a small hospital in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. This is notable since there has been considerable advocacy to construct such a facility. The projections suggest that by 2015 there will be a need for 15 acute medical and surgical beds and 4 psychiatric beds, and by 2025 this will decline to 14 and 4 beds, respectively” (2007, pp. xi-xii). According to presentation made to the Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley, regarding the “VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System” as shared by Jeff Milligan, the following numbers reflect the number of patients admitted to the South Texas Health System (STHS) and Valley Baptist Health System (VBHS) from April-November 2009:

Patients Admitted = 1207

o STHS: 696

o VBHS: 511

Patients Visited ER = 989

o STHS: 522

o VBHS: 467

Average Daily Census = 25.39

o STHS: 15.17

o VBHS: 10.22

Valley Veteran Inpatient Contracts FY10-April 2010 STHS/VBHS:

o Patients Admitted = 820

Patients Visited ER = (Oct-April) = 1,276
Average Daily Census = 37.90

New up to date statistics:

o Patients Admitted=

The Booz Allen study team was unable to offer a final number to truly confirm how many veterans would come to Harlingen if the flagship hospital for the new district would be established in that city. Even more importantly, there are other qualifying veterans that have not been taken into account. Plus, within the next two months the veteran population will increase dramatically with the arrival of the “winter Texan” veterans. Another sector of veterans that are anticipated to seek VA health care for those veterans that qualify for health services but have not applied for them. This is conjecture based on the recession fueling the surge on new veterans especially the older veterans. Vietnam veterans are coming forward an applying for benefits. “Aging bodies and changing rules have made more Vietnam veterans eligible than ever before” says John Rowan, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America. The Veterans Affairs is proceeding with plans to split the Valley, Corpus Christi and Laredo off from its San Antonio-based hospital system by 2011 and give the region its own director, its own budget and its own office in Harlingen.

Conclusion;

There are no confirmed figures as to veteran population in Deep South Texas, we are basing our findings on the Booz Allen Hamilton Study and its recommendations. Mindful, they will eventually become Veterans Affairs statistics. Since ADC statistics are proving that there are enough veterans to sustain a hospital, the Veterans Alliance suggests that the present expansion in Harlingen include emergency and inpatient care. We urge your support for adding emergency and inpatient services to the medical facility in Harlingen so that the veterans of Deep South Texas will finally have the full hospital that they have been pleading for over the past 40 years. This is the most cost effective way. Since the VA has already invested over 40 million dollars on the proposed new building, it can easily be adapted to provide the new services recommended. The State of Texas stands ready to assist the VA in whatever way the VA suggests and is allowed by the new law. The VA can partner with Texas in this expansion if VA so wishes.

Our elected officials and veterans call this approach the “common sense solution”. Our regional and local elected officials support our efforts. Please consider our pleas for a VA hospital. It has been a long drawn out battle that needs closure for our Veterans. Veterans are passing away each day with their dream of a VA hospital unfulfilled.

On behalf of the Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley and veterans and their supporters thank you. Should you have any questions, please call us. God Bless.

Sincerely,

Homer Gallegos

Chair

Arturo Treto Garza

Co Chair

Veterans Hospital for South Texas

2011-12-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

December 14, 2011 Update on VA hospital efforts

What is happening with Congressman's Henry Cuellar's HB 1318? He filed this bill and it was sent to the House Veterans Affairs Committee, where it was send to the House sub-committee on Veteans Health. In June 2011, Cuellar attached his bill to the Military and Veterans Affairs and other related agencies Appropriation Bill-HB 2055 inJune of this year. He claimed that it would bring us closer to getting a Full Service Medical Center for the valley. That bill passed the House with a 411-5 vote and was sent to the Senate. HB 1318 calls for an expansion the Harlingen VA Surgical Center to a Full Service Medical Center House Report 112-94 (accompanying HR 2055, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012).

The House Committee Report included the following language regarding the attachment:
Health care center expansions- Recognizing the lack of accessible VA services in many regions of the country, the Committee urges the Secretary to include in the VA Strategic Capital Improvement Plan the expansion of existing VA health care centers to include in-patient accommodations, urgent care services, and the full range of services required by women veterans when the absence of such services locally requires veterans to make round trips of more than five hours to access such services at a VA facility.

The Senate also passed 2055 and Congress agreed to send it to the President for his consideration on December 8, 2011. However, the final vote did not include anything on the amendment filed by Cuellar. At this time, we do not know if indeed HB 1318 as attached by Cuellar is part of the bill. The Appropriations bill is likely to become law.

Veterans need to call Cuellar's office and ask him or his staff what happened to his attached bill. Call now before it is send to the POTUS. With the holidays fastly approaching there might not be any new filings, but there is still time in case HB 1318 was not part of the bill.

Update on VA hospital

2011-12-10T18:11:00.001-08:00

Message body

Harlingen, TX

Arturo Treto Garza

956.226.9176

December 10, 2011

This past summer, Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) included legislation in the fiscal year 2012 Military Construction and Veterans Funding bill t(HB 2055) that would bring south Texas one step closer to having a full-service VA hospital. He attached his HB 1318 to it. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday June 14, 2011by a vote of 411 to 5 and on June 15, 2011 and was referred to the Senate.

Congressman Cuellar’s legislation calls for the expansion of veterans’ health care access and urges the VA Administration to prioritize the construction of a VA hospital in south Texas by placing it on the VA Strategic Capital Improvement Plan (SCIF), designed to place the project on a priority list. Additionally, Congressman Cuellar has introduced a bill to expand the existing VA health care center in Harlingen to provide in-patient care, urgent care services and a full range of services for women veterans as well as other support services.

The Senate voted on July 17, 2011 and passed with an 89-11 vote The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bill (2055). The Senate voted on amendments of their own and again passed with a vote of 97-2. Cuellar’s amendment was included and remains as part of the bill. The bill now moves to a Conference Committee where both Chambers need to agree on. . The House agreed to a Conference Committee on this past Wednesday December 7, 2011 and presented a list of Conferees. There will be 19 conferees from the House and 17 from the Senate. The Senate also submitted names of the Conferees.

Veterans in south Texas are optimistic in the passage of the bill and that it will be forwarded to the POTUS. The POTUS has 10 days (inclding Sundays) to act on the action or it becomes law automatically. Of course he can review it and sign it or not approve it. Veterans hope that he signs it since he promised to help during his Presidential Election campaign.

At this time, a date has not been set for the Conference Committee conferees to meet. Veterans will monitor 2055’s movement. If the bill becomes law, then a proposal that is being worked on by the local Veterans Health Care Network will stand a better chance of getting funded through the SCIF..

V A Hospital for South Texas

2011-11-30T07:48:00.000-08:00

Here we go again. We are launching another effort through our Senators offices. They have agreed to submit and amendment to the National Defense Authorization Bill pending before Congress.The National Defense bill is set to pass and amendments will also be approved if the amendments are allowed. It is a long shot, but one that we need to look at.

Here is the Press Release issued by the Senators.

UNITED STATES SENATE
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, JOHN CORNYN United States Senators - Texas For Immediate Release	CONTACT: Megan Mitchell (Cornyn) (202) 224-0704 Jeff Nelligan (Hutchison), 202-224-9767 Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sens. Cornyn, Hutchison Offer Amendment To Bring Inpatient VA Facility To The Valley

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, today offered an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 that would require the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs to incorporate a full-service inpatient health care facility into the existing South Texas Veterans Affairs Health Care Center in Harlingen.

Sens. Cornyn and Hutchison have introduced similar legislation in the past and continue to make the case for a VA inpatient facility in Far South Texas with top-ranking VA officials, as well as the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (see attached). While the Senators have supported and welcomed expansions to outpatient and other services at the existing Harlingen VA facilities, they maintain that access to VA inpatient care still must be provided.

“This holiday season will see the return of tens of thousands of service members from locations across the globe, including the remaining 40,000 troops in Iraq who are winding down our nation’s 9-year mission there. Already, the growing population of 100,000 veterans in Far South Texas lacks adequate access to full-service inpatient health care, and further delay in providing this population with the local inpatient care they deserve is unacceptable. I will not give up the fight to make this inpatient facility a reality for the veterans of South Texas,” Sen. Cornyn said.

“A grateful nation cares for those who have answered the call to serve, even after they leave the battlefield,” said Sen. Hutchison. “The veterans of South Texas answered their nation’s call, and many of them went in harm’s way and risked everything for their country. This amendment will help to ensure that these South Texas veterans receive the care they deserve.”

The hospital issue is not dead. Veterans are still at it. It has been a long sought goal of many veterans and for once they feel that they have had an impact at the national level. Veterans must continue forward. All veterans that have been active in this movement should re-charge their batteries and once again make an all out push for a VA hospital for the area. Ana Garcia of Cornyn’s office has been very aggressive in committing the senator’s office to make every effort to move the issue. Communications with the Senator’s national office are via satellite and those sessions are the next best thing to being there. Veterans are counting on her continued full support.

Veterans Meet with State Rep. Lozano

2011-10-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

Veterans meet with State Representative J. M. Lozano in Harlingen on October 20, 211. L-R: Joe Ibarra, Pete Prax Garza, Pedro Pete Herrera, Manuel Pena, Rep. Lozano, Irene T. Garza, Adelaido Lalo Cantu and Arturo Treto Garza.

Veterans Affairs Committee comes to South Texas

2011-10-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

October 21, 2011

Veterans in the Rio Grande Valley failed to take advantage of a scheduled trip by Congressman Jeff Miller, the Chairman of the U S House Veterans Affairs Committee. Miller was invited to a summit sponsored by Congressman Blake Farenthold (TX-27). The Summit was held at the Del Mar College Campus in Corpus Christi, TX.
Valley veterans send hundreds of letters to the House Veterans Affairs Committee asking that Congressman Ruben Hinojosa's HB 837 be placed on the agenda for a markup. Congressman Miller is the one that decides what appears on the agenda to be discussed and voted on. At this time it is not known when the next Markup Session will be held, but it should not be that long.
Valley veterans could have met with him in person and made a personal requests. Also, Congressman Hinojosa could have let valley veterans know about the summit and Miller's visit and requested veteran representatives be allowed to meet with Miller. Farenthold has signed as Co-Sponsor of HB 837. Another opportunity like this will probably not happened during this Session.
Veterans must be more vigilant on happenings at the Veterans Affairs Committee. Miller was also instrumental in assisting Congressman Henry Cuellar get his HB 1318 attached to HB 2055. This bill called for an expansion of the Harlingen VA Surgical Center to a Full Service Medical Center using the Veterans Health Administration Specific Investment Capital Fund. HB 2055 has passed both Chambers in Congress and is set to go to the President.
Maybe this is why veterans in the Valley feel like they have won the battle for a Veterans Affairs Hospital. They are optimistic about it and hope that it is allowed to spend funds for HB 1318. The SPIC plan was accepting applications for funding from the different VA Health Care Systems throughout the nation. The first cycle would receive application by October 1, 2011. The local VA Health System did not submit one and it is hoped that the proposal will be ready for the second cycle with a deadline of April 2012.
Some veterans feel that pressure must still be placed on Congress Veteran Affairs Committees to markup HB 837, which is the sister bill of S 396 filed by Senator John Cornyn.

VA Hospital

2011-10-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

State Representative J.M. Lozano (District 43) discussed the possibilites of getting the State to partner with the Federal Government in the development of an expansion of the Harlingen VA Surgical Center to a Full Service Medical Center. Veterans are looking for help from any of the Funds from the Texas Land Commission, the Military and Veterans Appropriations Committee and the Committee of Health. Proposition 8 (HJR7) passed in 2009 but has not being allocated any funds. The new law is not functional.
Lozano states that he will seek the assisstance of the other local representatives to get their ideas and suspport.

2011-10-25T10:05:00.001-07:00

Veterans met with Texas State Reprentative District 43 on October 20 in Harlingen. Rep. Lozano wanted to know how he can help veterans. The conversation centered around Proposition 1 and the VA hospital issue. He agreed to future meeting for updates to and from him. He sounds real committed to helping.

C O L A increases

2011-10-25T10:01:00.001-07:00

2012 COLA Increase

It’s official, military and federal civilian retirees, survivor benefit annuitants, disabled veterans and Social Security recipients will see a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment in January, their first since 2009.

The 3.6% COLA will be effective Dec 1 and will be reflected in January retired pay, SBP, Social Security, and VA disability compensation checks.

COLA is calculated by comparing the average inflation (as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI)) from 3rd quarter 2011 (223.2) to the baseline of 3rd quarter 2008 (215.5). The 2008 baseline must be used because the baselines for 2009 and 2010 were below that figure, and the law doesn’t allow a negative COLA.

For the month of September, the CPI figure is 223.688 -- a 0.2 percent increase from August.

For the Jul-Sep 2011 baseline period, the average CPI was 223.2. That is 3.59% above the 2008 baseline of 215.5, which rounds to 3.6% under the COLA law.

Blake Farenthold says House GOP frosh haven’t pushed their clout enough | Texas on the Potomac | a Chron.com blog

2011-10-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

Blake Farenthold says House GOP frosh haven’t pushed their clout enough | Texas on the Potomac | a Chron.com blog

VA: Valley veterans being treated in San Antonio to boost quota numbers | RioGrandeGuardian.com | news source for the border

2011-09-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

VA: Valley veterans being treated in San Antonio to boost quota numbers | RioGrandeGuardian.com | news source for the border

Garza: Harlingen should support effort to bring Shinseki to South Texas | RioGrandeGuardian.com | news source for the border

2011-08-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

Garza: Harlingen should support effort to bring Shinseki to South Texas RioGrandeGuardian.com news source for the border

Garza: Veterans must continue to press for VA hospital | RioGrandeGuardian.com | news source for the border

2011-08-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

Garza: Veterans must continue to press for VA hospital RioGrandeGuardian.com news source for the border

Torres: Hinojosa fighting hard to secure Valley veterans' hospital | RioGrandeGuardian.com | news source for the border

2011-08-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

Torres: Hinojosa fighting hard to secure Valley veterans' hospital RioGrandeGuardian.com news source for the border

Veterans Meet with Mayor Boswell on VA hospital

2011-07-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

Harlingen City Hall

Harlingen, TX 78550

July 14, 2011

RGV Valley Vets met with Chris Boswell, Mayor of Harlingen, and Gabe Gonzales, Asst. City Manager regarding strategy for the new Full Service Medical Center for south Texas. SB 396, HB 837 and HB 1318 were discussed. Ruben Cantu asked that the city write a letter in support of these bills to the Veterans Affairs committee of each Chamber. Treto Garza also asked that a letter be send to Lt. Gen. Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs inviting him to come to the valley and visit the new Surgical Center. This visit will convince him that there is room at the facility to be expanded to a Full Service Medical Center and avoiding expensive construction costs for a new facility. All the bills mentioned above have language addressing the need to expand the Harlingen facility to a Full Medical Service Center. Joe Ibarra informed Mayor Boswell and Asst. Manager Gonzales that veterans needed the continued support of the city because things were shaping up and we had made some progress in our efforts. He added that the package handed to him had a full copy of all three bills. The mayor told the group of 12 that he would indeed write a letter of support to the Veterans Affairs Committees. He also stated that the RAHC medical school facilities woud help in making the site more receptive since VA looked for some type of medical school to be close to a VA hospital. Cantu added that this is why it was important that the city of Harlingen be the flagship hospital for the newly created VA health care system. The mayor told the group that he was in close contact with Jeff Milligan on the issue. He stated that Mr. Milligan and he had the opportunity to visit with Lt. Governor Dewhurst in Austin regarding the medical school and medical facilities in Harlingen. The Lt. Gov. supports the efforts to bring better health care to south Texas.

Alex Trejo of the Harlingen Veterans Advisory Board also attended the meeting. Cantu is also a member of that committee. Commander Pete Garza of the Disabled American Veterans and two of his members were present as well as two members of the Vietnam Veterans of America and two from the American Legion. The others present were interested veterans that have been active in the quest for a Full Medical Service Center. The group provided a detailed list of all the Congressional Bills filed in Congress since 1983 to present. A total of 13 bills have been filed. This session has seen a lot of activity on two of the bills. HB 1318 was attached to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Other Related Agencies Appropiration Bill of 2012-H 2055 which passed by a 411 to 5 vote. S 396 was presented to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on June 8, 2011, but was not on the agenda for a markup on June 29, 2011. The group informed the Mayor that this is the very first time that bills submitted in Congress have been moved. It shows that the efforts of veterans are being recognized.

Veterans attending were:

Sisto Barrera American Legion

Alberto Perez American Legion

Manuel Pena Vietnam Veterans of America

Pablo Flores Vietnam Veterans of America

Pete Garza Disabled American Veterans

Bill Rodenbaugh Disabled American Veterans

Alex Trejo Harlingen Veterans Advisory

Ruben Cantu Harlingen Veterans Advisory

Joe Ibarra U S Army Retired

Adelaido Cantu U S Army Retired

Arturo Treto Garza

Irene T. Garza was also present.

Letter Of Thanks from Iraq

2011-07-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

A Thank You to all Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq

A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we get from home. Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?"

In my opinion, it all came down to one thing: Vietnam Veterans. I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated them so poorly back then. When they returned was even worse. The stories are nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us.

After Vietnam , it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake. Somewhere during the late 1970's and on into the 80's, we realized that we can't treat our warriors that way. So ... starting during the Gulf War, when the first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treat our troops of today like the heroes they were, and are, acknowledge and celebrate their sacrifice, and rejoice at their homecoming ... instead of spitting on them.

And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq . Our country knows that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we are all better because of it.

Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve with here in Iraq . They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom. But when I get back home, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank every Vietnam Vet I encounter for THEIR sacrifice. Because if nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake and now we treat our warriors as heroes, as we should have all along. I am the beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice.

Semper Fidelis,

Major Brian P. Bresnahan
United States Marine Corps

Strategic Capital Investment Plan of Veterans Affairs

2011-07-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

This part of the June 14, 2011 House Veterans Affairs Committee report that was submitted. I hope that the SCIP program does come through for us. But read careful what the report states. If anyone knows or finds any information on SCIP please let us know.

CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS

For FY 2012, the Administration requests a total of $1.271 billion for VA's four construction accounts: Major Construction ($590 million); Minor Construction ($550 million); State Extended Care Facility Construction Grants ($85 million); and State Cemetery Construction Grants ($46 million). The total resource request would, assuming amounts for FY 2011 are funded at the President's requested level, translate to a reduction of $478 million, or 37.6 percent. Further, consistent with the requirements of section 905 of Public Law 111-275, the Administration proposes to allocate $136 million in major construction funding derived from bid savings.

VA's new Strategic Capital Investment Planning (SCIP) process is a 10-year plan designed to identify and prioritize specific capital investment options to meet service delivery gaps in the areas of safety, security, utilization, access, seismic protection, facility condition assessments, parking and energy. SCIP projects a 10-year resource need of between $53 and $65 billion.

VA's total capital request (including facility leases, equipment, and non recurring maintenance needs not covered under the four construction accounts named above) for FY 2012 is $2.876 billion. At the present rate, it would take 20 years to meet the minimum resource need identified in the SCIP 10-year plan. We are, therefore, concerned that the SCIP plan is unrealistic on its face and would like the opportunity to engage the Administration on the plan going forward. Given that the stated needs of the system are vast, we recommend providing resources above the President's request for major and minor construction totaling $168 million.

San Benito War Memorial and 4th of July celebration

2011-07-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

About 300+ people attended the events to commemorate the grand opening of the San Benito War Memorial at its site. The planning has been on going for about 10 years according to speakers at the Event. Several members of the War Memorial Committee were recognized. Mayor Joe Hernandez did the presentation. Victor Garza, was the MC.

Here comes the March!

Part of the audience in attendance at the San Benito War Memorial Celebration on 4th of July 2011

Tele Conference with Washington VA representatives

2011-07-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Veterans Allege VA Censoring Prayer

2011-06-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

Veterans Allege VA Censoring Prayer

Markup meeting minutes

2011-06-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

Subject to a notice sent to all Members, the Committee met in the President’s Room, off the Senate Floor, on June 29, 2011 at 11:21 a.m. The following member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee were present: Mr. Tester, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Scott Brown, Mr. Moran, Ranking Member Burr, and Chairman Murray.
Madame Chairman: Seeing that we now have a quorum, let’s move to the six agenda items. Before we begin, I want to comment that we are using technology to be a truly paperless committee. Instead of creating a bunch of paper, we estimate that just this markup has saved $500 in paper and ink costs alone. I also want every Member of this Committee to know that we have CBO Estimates for every agenda item, and views from stakeholders and the administration. Moreover, all mandatory spending is fully offset or assumed in the baseline, and all new discretionary programs are paid for.
The Committee’s practice is to report pending legislation en bloc, subject to amendments, and technical and conforming changes. With the Ranking Member’s concurrence we will do this for items 1,3,4,5, and 6. We’ll then vote on S. 572.   Senator Burr, do you have the motion?
Mr. Burr: Madame Chairman, in accordance with the Committee’s longstanding practice to vote on agenda items as soon as a quorum of eight is present, I move that the Committee order favorably reported to the Senate the five legislative items on today’s agenda, Items 1,3,4,5, and 6. I further move that the reporting or approval of each of these items be subject to any amendments or motions subsequently adopted. Finally I move that the Committee staff be directed to prepare the Committee Reports on these items and make necessary clerical, technical, and conforming changes necessary to conform with the budget act.
Madame Chairman:   Is there a second? [A chorus of seconds were heard.]
The motion has been made and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion before we act?
Seeing none, the vote is on the motion that the Committee approve the five agenda items, en bloc.
All those in favor, say ‘aye.’ [A chorus of Ayes was heard]
All those opposed, say ‘no.’ [No Nays were heard]
The ‘ayes’ have it. The motion is agreed to and the five agenda items are ordered reported to the Senate.
Moving now to agenda item #2 – S. 572, is there any discussion on this bill before I call the vote?   Seeing none, the Clerk will call the roll.
Mr. Akaka – Aye
Mr. Tester – Aye
Mr. Burr – Nay
Mr. Isakson -- Nay
Mr. Wicker – Nay by proxy (voted by Mr. Burr)
Mr. Johanns – Nay by proxy (voted by Mr. Burr)
Mr. Scott Brown – Nay
Mr. Moran – Nay
Mr. Boozman – Nay
Madame Chairman – Aye
The following proxy’s were voted by the Chairman:
Mr. Rockefeller-- Aye by Proxy
Mr. Sanders -- Aye by Proxy
Mr Sherrod Brown – Aye by Proxy
Mr. Begich – Aye by Proxy
Mr. Webb – Aye by Proxy
.
Clerk: They Ayes are 8, the Nays are 7, the measure prevails.
Chairman: Thank you all, we are adjourned.
11:26 a.m.

Chart on Roll Call of Agenda Item II, S. 572.

Ayes	Senator	Nays
X by proxy	Mr. Rockefeller
X	Mr. Akaka
X by proxy	Mr. Sanders
X by proxy	Mr. Brown
X by proxy	Mr. Webb
X	Mr. Tester
X proxy	Mr. Begich
	Mr. Burr	X
	Mr. Isakson	X
	Mr. Wicker	X by proxy
	Mr. Johanns	X by proxy
	Mr. Brown	X
	Mr. Moran	X
	Mr. Boozman	X
X	Madame Chairman
8	TALLY	7

Back to Hearing

Table of Contents

Transcript

Markup

NOTICE

2011-06-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

Click on the link on Veterans Affairs Markup hearing that was posted today. It will show that our bill S 396 was not placed on the agenda for a markup. What does this mean to us? It means that our bill in the Senate will not be discussed at all at today's meeting.
According to Dave Hanke, Assistant to Senator John Cornyn on Military and Veterans Affairs, this does not mean that the bill is dead. It means that right now the Committee does not want to deal with it. It was more or less expected but it was necessary that it at least was discussed at the June 8 hearing on bills before the Committee. He urges veterans to continue with the letter writing campaign. He also suggests of trying to bring Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Lt. Gen. Eric Shinseki to the valley. This is a tall order, but you never know if set our mind to it.
We have been told in the past that our bills were just filed and placed on a committee to gather dust. The only reason for filing was to appease the veterans. Well this Session the bills are moving. So we must say, "Never say Never".
If any one has any suggestions please feel free to let us know. You can call me at 226.9176.

Committee on Veterans Affairs: Hearings

2011-06-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

Committee on Veterans Affairs: Hearings

Hearing on Senate Markup

2011-06-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison send a letter to the Veterans Affairs requesting that S 396 be placed up for discussion at their June 29th markup session. If S 396 gets markup, then it will be send to the Full House for a vote. RGV Valley Vets have been writing to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair and to Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) ranking member. According to Cornyn's staff the letter was hand delivered.

Hidalgo County Judge has also send a similar letter in support of S 396. Judge Garcia's office has informed us that his email was send via fax with confirmation of receipt.

Also, some veterans have been emailing Senator Murray's Chief of Staff, Mike Spahn, to inform the Senator of S 396. This was done fairly recently because slow mail would not get there before the meeting's agenda. Emails were also sent to Jennifer McCarthy, clerk at the Vet/Aff Comm.

The committee has announced its schedule but an agenda was not listed in announcement. It will he held at the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. If you have a chance tune it via their web page.

Veterans meet with Senator Cornyn' Staff

2011-06-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Harlingen, TX
Senator John Cornyn's Regional Office
June 21, 2011

Valley veterans met with Dave Hanke, Military and Veterans Affairs asssitant to Senator John Cornyn, Lt. Maxwell Keith, assistant to Hanke and Ana Maria Garcia, regional coordinator for Senator John Cornyn via satellite phone confernce. The issues discussed were SB 396 which is pending before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. The bill was discussed at the Committee on June 8th and is scheduled to be discussed again on June 29th. Hanke provided information to the veterans as to where to direct their letter writing campaign. Also, he mentioned that he needed up to date fact and figures from the local VA on the services of veterans.
There was a good question and anwere discussion and veterans were glad that Hanke provided truthful and sound answers to their questions. He told them that we still had a fight on our hands and that the VA was not necessarily on our side. We needed to conquer that belief and change their mind as to the need of a VA hospital for south Texass.

HB 2055 as it relates to the ammendment of Congressman Cuellar's HB 1318 was also discussed, But Hanke stated that Cuellar or his staff would be the ones to ask. He commanded Cuellar for his actions and movement of his bill.

Pablo Flores, Rey Molano, Leo Hinojosa, Treto Garza, Adelarido Cantu, Joe Ibarra, Pedro Juarez, Antonio Carmona, Tony Arenas, Rey Oropez, Mike Escobedo.

Pablo Flores, Adelaido Cantu, Joe ibarra, Antonio Carmona, Mike Escobedo, Rey Oropez, Rey Molano, Manuel Pena, Hortencia Pena Maria Carmona, Treto

Treto Garza, Ruben Cantu, Adelaido Cantu, Pedro Juarez, Georgios Moros, Antonio Cantu, Tony Arenas Rey Oropez and Mike Escobedo

CONGRESSMAN CUELLAR: ‘SOUTH TEXAS VETERANS ONE STEP CLOSER TO HAVING FULL-SERVICE VA HOSPITAL’ – My Harlingen News

2011-06-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

CONGRESSMAN CUELLAR: ‘SOUTH TEXAS VETERANS ONE STEP CLOSER TO HAVING FULL-SERVICE VA HOSPITAL’ – My Harlingen News

Senate Bill 396 Full Service Medical Center for South Texas

2011-06-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

"Our service members should never have to come home from fighting a war only to fight to get the benefits and care that they deserve," said Senator Patty Murray when she was named to the Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. She is considered one of the best friends that veterans have in Washington D.C. She is about making sure that the Veterans Affairs meets its mandate of caring for our Veterans.

It seems like these words were meant and apply to the thousands of veterans of South Texas. You could say it describes the multitude of problems faced by our servicemen and women encounter when they returned from War. A prime example is the quest for a Veterans hospital for south Texas that started with WW II veterans. Since then and up until now veteran have been advocating for a full service Veterans Affairs Full Medical Service Center for the area's 110,000 veterans. The nearest VA hospital is 250 miles away.

Veterans in south Texas have been ignored by the VA, especially those that participated in the war theaters of Vietnam and Korea. If any of our veterans have been abandoned it is those that fought in these two skirmishers. And, south Texas is the home of many veterans of WW II, Korea, and Vietnam. Older veterans that are now more than ever having problems obtaining their benefits from the Veterans Affairs. Many of these veterans resigned themselves from applying for benefits out of frustration of the many tactics used by VA to discouraged the very veterans that they are suppose to serve. "The deny, deny until they die" attitude of the VA applies here to the T. Veterans are dying at an alarming rate, many will never enjoy those benefits. President Lincoln is probably turning in his grave.

Senator Patty Murray, your constituents have a great representative for the state of Washington. And as Chair of the Vet/Aff Comm. we hope that the rest of America enjoys your dedication to the veterans. Please help us with SB 396. It is our bill for our Senator allowed us to participate in the wording of the contents of the bill. Simple and to the point.

To our veterans in south Texas, let us hope that Chairwoman remembers these very words when she hears of Senate Bill 396. SB 396 is the furthest that south Texas veterans have advanced in their fight for a VA hospital. Veterans have been fighting for a VA hospital since our servicemen returned from World War II. Other war veterans followed suit. And are still at it.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel. Chairwoman Murray is a great position to help veterans of south Texas by allowing SB 396 to be placed on her agenda for discussion and a vote. It would be great if Senator John Cornyn would be allowed to testify on behalf of his bill.

Bill Text - 112th Congress (2011-2012) - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

2011-06-09T19:12:00.000-07:00

Bill Text - 112th Congress (2011-2012) - THOMAS (Library of Congress)

Committee on Veterans Affairs: Hearings

2011-06-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

Committee on Veterans Affairs: Hearings

senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing

2011-06-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

Subject: Your Email to the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To: "tretogarza@yahoo.com" <tretogarza@yahoo.com>
Date: Tuesday, June 7, 2011, 3:24 PM

Dear Mr. Garza:

Thank you for contacting the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The agenda for the Committee's June 29th mark up has not yet been decided.

You may be interested to know that S. 396, the proposed "Meeting the Inpatient Health Care Needs of Far South Texas Veterans Act of 2011," is among the many bills that the Committee will hear testimony on tomorrow, June 8th. You may watch that hearing through the Committee's website at www.veterans.senate.gov .

Sincerely,

Jennifer McCarthy
Committee on Veterans' Affairs

89-year-old WWII veteran presented with diploma | veteran, wwii, diploma - Valley Morning Star

2011-06-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

89-year-old WWII veteran presented with diploma veteran, wwii, diploma - Valley Morning Star

Rio Grande Sun > Archives > News > Veterans' Records Illegally Destroyed

2011-06-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

Rio Grande Sun > Archives > News > Veterans' Records Illegally Destroyed

Open Letter to Texas Democratic Congressional members on redistricting

2011-06-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

Open Letter to Congress members of Texas Democratic Congressional Representatives Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Gene Green (TX-29), Lloyd Doggett (TX-25), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18), Silvestre Reyes (TX-16), Charlie Gonzalez (TX-20), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), and Al Green (TX-09).

You showed concern in a letter about the lack of Hispanics being considered in the new redistricting map. Well, Congress members, how do you think that we veterans of south Texas feel when we are annually denied a VA hospital to the large numbers of veterans in south Texas. Is it because we are pre-dominantly Hispanic? Do we need 50%+ hispanic members in Congress in order for us to get a VA hospital.

Veterans have been told by some of you and other members of Congress not to play the race card because it will turn off many members. Well, their "on" light has never been turned on. So what do we do to turn them on?

Just about everyone in south Texas feels that a VA hospital for our veterans is long overdue and is definitely needed. So, why are veterans denied one. Even in solemn memorial services this past Memorial Day, speakers ventured into the delicate issue; reminding those attending that a VA hospital is needed for those veterans that did make it back. It is common talk about town, and yet, the voices of the ex-servicemen and women, our veterans are ignored north of the imaginary line between Corpus Christi and Laredo. Even when our winter Texan comrades return, we are still pre-dominately Hispanic.

Would some of you show your concern and co-sponsor either HB 837 or 1318? Would some of you approach your colleagues at the House Veterans Affairs Committee and ask them to bring these bills before their agenda and vote on them?And remember that veterans down here in south Texas served proudly in the United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Coast Guard as Americans. Some gave some, others gave all for the same Colors and Freedoms that many Americans enjoy.

It is time for south Texas to have a VA hospital or in the words of Congressman Cuellar, a Full Service Medical Center.

Thank you,

Arturo Treto Garza-USMC

Jose A. Ibarra-U.S. Army Retired

Antonio Tony Arenas U.S. Air Force

Ruben Cordova-U.S. Navy

Sheila Jackson Lee says GOP redistricting map ‘blatantly’ violates Voting Rights Act; Gene Green predicts ‘more lawsuits’ | Texas on the Potomac | a Chron.com blog

2011-06-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

Sheila Jackson Lee says GOP redistricting map ‘blatantly’ violates Voting Rights Act; Gene Green predicts ‘more lawsuits’ Texas on the Potomac a Chron.com blog

Memorial Day event May 31, 2011-Harlingen

2011-06-02T06:55:00.000-07:00

Part of audience waiting for speakers to take podium.

The Honor Guard presents Colors while the rest of the Color Guard presented colors and played taps outside of building. American Legion Post 205 of Harlingen Color and Honor Guard did the Honors.

Some of those attending the evetn at Trinity Funeral Home.

Silent Memorial Day March-Brownsville photos

2011-06-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

2011-06-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Veterans met with Kevin Kane, Military & Veterans Assistant to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison via tele-conference set up by Julian Alvarez, Hutchison's local coordinator. Meeting was held at the Senator's Harlingen office on Wednesay June 1, 2011. Present were Ruben Cantu, Jimmy Krummel, Joe Ibarra, Adelaido Cantu, Treto Garza, Pete Prax Garza (DAV 121 Commander), Antonio Carmona, and Pablo Flores. The meeting centered around what needs to be done to move SB 396 in Congress. SB 396 calls for the expansion of the present VA Surgical Center in Harlingen to a Full Service Medical Center.

L-R Julian Alvarez, Ruben Cantu, Jimmy Krummel, Joe Ibarra, and Adelaido Cantu.P

Pablo Flores (standing) listens to the voice of Kevin Kane on speaker phone regarding the Veterans Hospital issue.

Signing Letters of support

2011-05-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

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

The quest for Full Medical Service Center Continues

2011-05-20T09:49:00.000-07:00

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.

Local Officials to Apply for Veterans Hospital in Valley

2011-04-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

Local Officials to Apply for Veterans Hospital in Valley

RGV ValleyVets: HELP VETERANS GET VA HOSPITAL

2011-04-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

RGV ValleyVets: HELP VETERANS GET VA HOSPITAL: "South Texas veterans especially those in the Rio Grande Valley need to continue their fight for a Full Service Medical Center. This long so..."

HELP VETERANS GET VA HOSPITAL

2011-04-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

South Texas veterans especially those in the Rio Grande Valley need to continue their fight for a Full Service Medical Center. This long sought after facility keeps getting out of range for the veterans. Its always the same excuse, something more important has come up. And its happening again.
This legislative session, veterans have two (2) bills in Congress. They are basically the same but a little different wording and in the request. HB 837submitted by Congressman Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15) simply call for an assurance that the Veterans Administration expand its present facility at Harlingen into a full service medical center. HB 1318, submitted by Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-25) also asks for an expansion of the present facility to a Full Medical Service Center. In addition it asks that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall include in the Strategic Capital Investment Plan of the Department of Veterans Affairs a project to expand the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility, by adding the following: An urgent care center; Inpatient capability for 50 beds with appropriate administrative, clinical, diagnostic, and ancillary services needed for support; The capability to provide full range services to meet the need of female veterans; and, The capability to provide caregiver support services, including an adult day care providing caregiver respite.
This bills have a sister bill in the Senate filed by Senator John Cornyn (SB 396) and its wording is identical to HB 837. This sister bill was filed first.
So now that there are two bills, how do veterans go about making sure that this time around one of them gets out of committee with a favorable vote? It is going to be difficult seeking legislative relief because of the rising debt crisis and calls for budget slashing cuts. Also, the political shifts in Congress have changed and are creating difficulties. But, the fact of the matter is that we must tackle the problem straight on. Veterans in south Texas have launched what is called Operation 10,10,10 which is a letter writing campaign targeting the Senate Veterans Affair Committee, House Veterans Affairs Committee and the sub-committee on Veterans Health of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Two batches of letters have gone out already (each batch consists of 100 letters). These efforts were initiated before HB 1318 was filed, so it only speaks of HB 837. There has been no response to the letters as far as we know since individual responses will come directly to veterans and not a central letter bank. The office of Senator Isakson states that it takes time to communicate via slow mail. But, not too many veterans have computers to email or fax correspondence to Congress members. Veterans feel that it is something that has to be done. Hopefully other Congressman will join in as co-sponsors of the bills.
In the meantime, veterans must ask their Congressional delegation to designate someone from their office to work on getting these bills passed. It is understood that they have a lot of work on thousands of other issues, but veterans feel that they have been cast aside too many times already. It is real easy to sacrifice the veterans requests due to the fact that veterans are not well organized. At the national level, the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans have their agendas addressing national level issues affecting veterans as a whole. They have not address our local issue. Local chapter and posts should write their higher up commands and ask and demand support. Again its been a long time and south Texas veterans efforts for obtaining a VA hospital have hit a brick wall. How long will veterans be used, exploited, promised, cast aside, etc. by our elected officials? It is coming to the point that maybe we need to express our displeasure at the polls.

Legislation of interest to Veterans

2011-04-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

At the Texas Legislature

HB 55           filed by Armando Mando Martinez relating to the use of Texas Enterprise Fund for Veterans hospitals. Testimony has been presented before the Texas House Committee on Defense and Veterans on April 7, 2011.

HB 833         filed by Gallegos relates to providing tax exempt status to spouses and children of a deceased veteran that is 100% rating or fully disabled.

SB 357         filed by Van DePutte and is the sister bill for HB 833.

At the U.S. Congress

SB 396        filed by Senator John Cornyn which asks the VA to expand the present Harlingen VA Surgical Center to a Full Medical Service Center.

HB 837        filed by Congressman Ruben Hinojosa and is the sister bill to SB 396 asking for the same thing with identical language.

HB 1318      filed by Congressman Henry Cuellar to direct the VA to expand the VA medical facility in Far South Texas with an urgent care center; 50 beds for inpatient care; provide a full range of services to female veterans; and, provide caregiver support services, including an adult day care providing caregiver respite.

Notes:

A letter writing campaign Operation 10,10,10 has been initiated to push for SB 396 and HB 837 to be placed before the agenda of their respective Veterans Affairs Committees in each Chamber.

FlipShare - Private Video Sharing - Email

2011-04-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

Irene T. Garza deposits a batch of letters down the mailbox at the Harlingen Post Office. The letters are from veterans directed at Representative Ann Marie Buerkele, Chairwoman of the Sub-Committee on Veterans Health of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. HB 837 filed by Rep. Ruben Hinojosa and co-sponsored by Rep. Henry Cuellar and Blake Farenthold has been assigned to this committee. Veterans are asking that HB 837 be placed on the committee's agenda for discussions and a vote. Prior bills submitted in other Congressional Sessions never moved out of committee. As a mater of fact, they were assigned and forgotten. Veterans hope to avoid that this time around. Especially since HB 837 does not ask for funding rather it is a mandate to the Veterans Administration to expand the Harlingen VA Surgical Center into a Full Service Medical Center (VA hospital).
Veterans will submit another batch shortly. This is the second batch and most of the signatures come from the American Legion Post 205 which were signed on April 11, 2011 at the Post. The Veterans Alliance also had a meeting that day and also contributed letters. A batch is 100 letters.
Donations for postage are coming in slowly but have been enough for the mail-outs. We hope that the community keeps sending us postage stamps. Postage can be mailed to 2722 Calle Condesa, Harlingen, TX.

click link to view photo:
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Testimony before Defense and Military Committee in Austin

2011-04-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

April 7, 2011

Veterans Alliance members meet with Representative Armando Mando Martinez after testifying before the Texas House of Representatives Defense and Military Committee in regards to HB 55. The committee met to discuss the bill which relates to allowing the Texas Enterprise Fund to be used for veterans hospitals. Martinez and Treto Garza told the Committee that the time is right to help in expanding the present VA OutPatient Clinic in Harlingen, TX to a Full Service Medical Center. The members indicated that they were favoring a good vote, however they did not vote on due to their busy schedule. It will be placed up for a vote at next meeting or when they resume.

Testimony before Defense and Veterans Committee HB 55

2011-04-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

April 6, 2011

Five veterans from the valley are traveling to Austin to provide testimony on House Bill 55 as submitted by Rep. Armando Mando Martinez-D-40. The bill is simple. It asks that the state of Texas to be allowed to use the Texas Enterprise Fund for veterans hospitals. The Fund has monies, but veterans cannot tap into it because at the present it is not allowed. Commissioner Jerry Patterson informed the Veterans Alliance back in October that in order for him to consider any proposals or recommendations that there had to be legislation introduced allowing the Fund to do so.

So far Arturo Treto Garza, Joe Ibarra, Pete Prax Garza, Sisto Barrera, Pete Herrera and Irene T. Garza are going. A presentation will made and submitted as written testimony. Ibarra and Garza will sign in and if allowed will present oral testimony. The testimony to be presented revolves around allowing the Fund to be used to expand the Harlingen Surgical Center to a Full Service Center.

Jeff Milligan has in the past told veterans that they could use monies for ancillary needs. If the Fund is not allowed to provide funds for construction of a wing, should one be needed, it can help by providing funds for equipment, staffing, beds, etc. The creation of a Full Service Medical Center will greatly benefit the economic and employment development efforts in south Texas. The Fund is set up for this purposes of developing economic development and employment patterns.

Some veterans have told me what are we fightng for, that the VA hospital has already been approved. I am telling everyone that it is not a done deal. No one at the VA has said that they are going to expand Harlingen to a Full Service Medical Center. The local folks are the ones that have been promoting this plans and have done it loudly. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT IT IS NOT A DONE DEAL!
That is why we have had our Congressmen submit bills to tell VA to do it. And, veterans asked Mando to file a bill for us at the State Level. This follows up Proposition 8 (that has no money) and HCR 86 that were approved in 2009. Proposition 8 became law because it passed by a majority vote at the Election Booth. HCR 86 memorialized Congress that the state of Texas was in full support of a construction of a VA hospital for south Texas.

The Veterans Alliance voted at a meeting to concentrate on Harlingen being the flagship hospital for the south Texas Health Care System because of the new $40 million building that was constructed. There is room there and most everyone agrees that it should be further expanded to a Full Medical Service Center. Veterans must continue their efforts or we will have to wait 10 to 15 years from now, it at all. We cannot take it for granted that the VA is going to help on their own. They have not done it in the past 50 years, so don't go trusting them too much. Elections are coming around and everyone is promising help. Let us keep all those to their promises.

Open Letter to Chairwoman Senator Patty Murray via her chief of staff

2011-04-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Greetings;

Mr. Mark Spahn, I approach you as Chief of Staff for Senator Patty Murray, as Chairwoman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committe, with the hope that you can relay this message to him. I do not have her email or for that matter do not know if members of Congress can be contacted directly via email. Please help me with this.

Recently Senator Richard Burr's bill on setting a day aside to formally welcome home our veterans that served in Vietnam passed. Nowhere has it been received highly than our Rio Grande Valley in south Texas. Thank you Congress and Senator Burr.

The best gift that our government can bestow our Vietnam Veterans is a Full Medical Service Center. This will avoid having to travel up to 250 miles for acute care at the nearest VA hospital. It will avoid having to be transferred from the VA Out Patient clinic to a local hospital.

Along this line, veterans in south Texas would really appreciate if SB 396 filed by his colleague Senator John Cornyn, is passed. Most of the veterans in our area are Vietnam Veterans. Our WW II and Korea War veterans numbers are dwindling due to many passing away because of age, but also due to health problems.

The bill calls for an expansion to an existing VA facility in the city of Harlingen, TX. There is the Ambulatory Surgery And Out Patient Specialty Center that has 120,000 square feet, and adjacent 5 story garage, and another building with in the proximity that takes daily intake of veterans.

Our local Congressional delegation supports the idea of the expansion as well as most of the local governmental bodies, the medical community, the community in general and most of all the Veterans. Its the most common sense solution to a request that local veterans have made to VA for the past 4 decades.

Would Senator Murray consider placing SB 396 on the Committee's agenda and call for a vote? I do not know if this is proper protocol, but it would be great for local veterans. We need to know where we stand.

I sincerely hope that she does so. In the meantime, local veterans continue their quest for a Full Service Medical Center to serve its 117,000 veterans.

For God and Country.

Semper Fi,
Arturo Treto Garza
Vietnam Veteran

2722 Calle Condesa
Harlingen, TX 7852

OPERATION 10,10,10

2011-03-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

Rio Grande Valley Veterans of America

Valley Vets

March 29, 2011

Operation 10, 10,10

We are launching OPERATION 10-10-10 which is essence an effort directed at members of the Veterans Affairs Committees. We have made little progress and times have changed, but we continue our battle.

Operation 10, 10, 10 has been launched by Rio Grande Valley Veterans to try and get HB 837 and SB 396 passed in Congress. The wording of each bill in their respective chamber is identical. They call for an expansion of the Surgical Center in Harlingen to a Full Service Medical Center.

The Operation has 3 phases:

Phase I will consist of veterans targeting 10 members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. They will be sending their offices letters asking for support and passage of HB 837 as submitted by Congressman Ruben Hinojosa and Co-Sponsored by Congressmen Henry Cuellar and Blake Farenthold. This committee has 24 members representing both Political parties and is chaired by Rep. Jeff Miller.

Phase II will be to target 10 members of the House Veterans Affairs sub-committee on Veterans Health. This Committee has 12 members and its Chair is Rep. Ann Marie Buerkele.

Phase III will be to target 10 members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee asking for support and passage of SB 396. SB 396 was submitted by Senator John Cornyn and Co-Sponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. This committee has 21 members and its Chair is Senator Patty Murray.

The phonetic pronunciation of the word 10 in Spanish means here, so Operation 10, 10, 10 will be Operation Here, Here, Here. Veterans feel that our Congressional leaders have not asked these committees to work on the bills and the need for such a facility.

Veterans will be calling on veterans to participate in Operation 10, 10, 10. If a Veterans Service organization wants more information the group will sent some one to their posts and provide it. Commanders or Vice Commanders should call Treto Garza at 956.226.9176.

Veterans also ask the community at large to sign an on-line petition at http//:www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/578/551/374.

Welcome all Veterans

2011-03-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

Rio Grande Valley Veterans of America (Valley Vets) is a new organization of veterans interested in working on veterans issues. There are no fees to join, but your name will need to be approved by the governing board.

YOU CAN BECOME A FOLLOWER OF THIS BLOG BY JOINING IN AS A FOLLOWER!

We will try to keep veterans informed on activities affecting the livelihood of veterans and their families. All benefits will be monitored and important benefits will be relayed through this venue. Also, we will forward information on any legislation that it important to all veterans. We will let you know which we recommend, but understand that ours will only be a recommendation.

At the present, we are working on trying to get a Veterans Affairs Full Medical Service Center for south Texas to be established in Harlingen, TX. We are recommending that the present VA Out Patient Surgical Center be expanded into a Full Medical Service Center, especially with emergency room and inpatient surgical care. There is enough room in the complex to include it. Many of us believe that the original plans called for a full service medical center due to the fact the plans submitted to local authorities included space for it, to include a cafeteria.

Our first mission has been designated as the gathering of signatures on an on-line petition at http://www.takeaction/578/551/378. Please read and sign it. Tell your relatives, friends and others to join our efforts by signing it. Its easy.

This web page will allow for participation via comments in our comment session. If you provide us with an email we will respond to any questions you might have regarding any issue. If need be, we will recommend to you someone that can help.

We hope to make this the webpage Blog Page for Veterans.

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