The elections are over, back to business with Congress as they have many unsettled issues in need of attention. The VA scandal is still a priority for Congress to settle. Although the VA has made some progress toward veterans care and benefits improvements, it is not yet 100% thought out. Our Congress needs transparency in bipartisanship and to be held accountable.
A quote by Theodore Roosevelt, “A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the Country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards”. We veterans need a square deal for survival and better quality of life. It should not be too much for which to ask.
Many thousands of veterans are sick with PTSD and severe Illnesses with little to no resolve.
The most critical of our veterans groups is the Vietnam war veteran. Tens of thousands continue to combat illnesses associated with the herbicide, Agent Orange. The group of veterans mostly ignored by the VA are those who served at sea in that war known as Blue Water Navy. Many are infected with Agent Orange. House Bill HR-543 is still active in Congress, but with over 55% Congressional support it is stalled in the Veterans Affairs Committee. Financial support for this Bill amounts to approx. 7 to 9 billion dollars spread out over 7 to 10 years. After that there will be none of us left. We give hundreds of billions to foreign countries some of which hate us, yet not a dime to our veterans. What's wrong with this picture? It goes to show veterans are low priority.
Americans, get on your members of Congress to demand they pass HR-543.
John J. Bury, US Navy retired Vietnam veteran
