MOPH Supports Advance Appropriations for Veteran’s Health Care
WASHINGTON-(Business Wire)-February 15, 2009 - The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) is proud to support bipartisan legislation introduced this week by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) and House Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA) that will secure timely funding for veterans’ health care through the “advance appropriations” process.
In 19 of the last 22 years, Congress delayed action on VA appropriations beyond October 1, disrupting health services, stymieing construction and modernization projects, and slowing major research efforts at the start of the new fiscal year. Budgeting for funding a year in advance will provide the VA with better planning tools and more predictable funding.
National MOPH Commander Jeffrey Roy was honored to attend the joint press conference on Thursday, February 12, when Congressman Filner announced “The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 is a way to explore a new manner in which to fund the VA. We need to consider a historic new approach to guarantee that our veterans have access to comprehensive, quality health care that they deserve and have earned. There is no greater priority facing our nation than providing health care to our veterans and we must be willing to pay the cost, whatever that cost may be. For too many years, VA has had to make do with insufficient budgets resulting in restricted access for many veterans. When funding is short, it is our veterans who pay the price.” Senator Akaka added “our plan will create a transparent process that will help VA use its funding more efficiently and care for veterans more effectively than it has in the past.”
National MOPH Legislative Director Hershel Gober, himself a former Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs and a combat wounded veteran, was invited to speak during the unveiling of the new legislation. In his remarks, Patriot Gober noted that “During my service at the VA, it was very frustrating to not receive our appropriation by Oct 1st each year. VA had to operate, sometimes for 6 or 8 months, on a continuing resolution. This legislation will fix the currently broken budgeting process."
According to MOPH National Commander Roy, “This is a great day for the Congress, for Veterans, and for their families. “I would like to personally thank Senator Akaka and Congressman Filner for their tireless work in making this legislation a reality by providing predictable funding to the VA one year in advance, this legislation will allow the VA to adequately prepare for and deliver quality medical care to the Nation’s sick and disabled veterans.”
The Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) is unique among Veteran Service Organizations in that all its members were wounded in combat. For this sacrifice, they were awarded the Purple Heart Medal. With grants from the MOPH Service Foundation, the MOPH and its Ladies Auxiliary promote Patriotism, Fraternalism, and the Preservation of America's Military History. Most importantly, they provide comfort and assistance to all Veterans and their families, especially those requiring claims assistance with the VA, those who are homeless, and those requiring employment assistance. For more information visit www.purpleheart.org.
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