Update on VA hospital

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..

Tele Conference with Washington VA representatives

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.

Open Letter to Texas Democratic Congressional members on redistricting

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

 

 

 

Memorial Day event May 31, 2011-Harlingen

 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

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

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.

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.

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 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.

FlipShare - Private Video Sharing - Email

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:
FlipShare - Private Video Sharing - Email

Testimony before Defense and Veterans Committee HB 55

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

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

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

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.

Please sign up as a follower by clicking the link of right column.