[StBernard] The Word from Washington - Honoring our Brave Veterans

[Westley Annis]

	Excellent Charlie!  You rock.  I do want to bring it to your
attention that Chase Bank refused to recast our mortgage when we had to
transfer it to the SBA and we were told it was because we had a VA loan; I
thought veterans should be honored, not 2nd class citizens!  They said
that's their policy because vets are high risk.  I was apalled.  Fine lady,
you try sitting in a fox hole for 3 years being shot at and have the nerve
to say veterans are likely not able to pay that mortgage?  I will never do
business with them again.  MsSimms


	> ----------------------------------------------------- 
	> Dear Westley, 
	> 
	> Hello to all my friends in south Louisiana. This Veterans Day, I
encourage 
	> you to pause and honor the men and women who have risked their
lives and 
	> made difficult sacrifices to keep every American safe. It is also
equally 
	> important that we take the time to remember those servicemen and
women who 
	> are currently protecting us, both abroad and at home. If you are a
veteran 
	> or an active service member, I thank you for your service and
pledge to 
	> continue to fight for you in Washington. 
	> 
	> Rep. Melancon meets with U.S. combat veteran and former
Presidential 
	> Nominee Bob Dole and WWII veterans from Louisiana to discuss
issues 
	> affecting veterans today. 
	> 
	> This past year, I have been wo rking in Congress to pass measures
that will 
	> improve healthcare for our veterans and provide them with the
benefits they 
	> earned and deserve. As I write this, Congress is very close to
sending 
	> the annual Veterans Affairs funding bill to the President for his
signature. 
	> The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related
Agencies 
	> Appropriations Act of 2008 (introduced as H.R. 2642, now H.R.
3043) includes 
	> an additional $6.6 billion over the 2007 level in funding for the
VA to 
	> address the needs of new veterans and takes vital steps towards
eliminating 
	> current problems in veterans' healthcare. This record funding
increase is 
	> the largest in the 77-year history of the Veterans Affairs
department. 
	> 
	> The VA funding bill will provide veterans with better, more
efficient 
	> healthcare, and also focuses on the needs of veterans returning
from Iraq 
	> and Afghanistan. I am please d the bill will: 
	> 
	> Reduce the Backlog of Veterans' Benefit Claims. Significantly
reduce the 
	> 400,000 claims backlog for veterans waiting for disability and
other 
	> benefits by adding more than 1,800 new claims processors. 
	> 
	> Improve VA Health Facilities Maintenance. Provide for much-needed 
	> maintenance of VA health care facilities (funding is $500 million
above the 
	> President's request) to prevent a Walter Reed-type scandal from
occurring. A 
	> recent VA report outlined 1,000 specific problems at VA health
facilities 
	> around the country, with a backlog of $5 billion in maintenance. 
	> 
	> Better Treat PTSD and TBI. Increase funding within all the health
accounts 
	> for mental health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and
Traumatic Brain 
	> Injury to ensure the poly-trauma centers and Centers of Excellence
for 
	> Mental Health and PTSD are fully operational. One-third of vete
rans < BR>> returning from Iraq and Afghanistan face mental health
challenges, and up to 
	> 300,000 returning troops are expected to suffer from TBI. 
	> 
	> Invest in Medical and Prosthetic Research. Invest 16 percent more
for 
	> medical and prosthetic research, instead of accepting cuts in the 
	> President's budget. 
	> 
	> Create a Toll-Free Hotline for Veterans. Develop and operate a
toll-free 
	> telephone and web-based hotline for veterans to report on
deficiencies in VA 
	> medical facilities and care. 
	> 
	> Also this year, in response to recent revelations of the
horrendous 
	> conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital and other facilities, I
supported a 
	> bill to better help active service members transition to the VA
system. The 
	> Wounded Warrior Assistance Act, H.R. 1538, will improve outpatient
care at 
	> military healthcare facilities and cut bureaucratic red tape in
order to 
	> help p atients and improve overall service for veterans. 
	> 
	> I also supported increased screening and better treatment for
veterans with 
	> Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI), two 
	> of the most serious medical conditions for veterans returning from
Iraq and 
	> Afghanistan today. I voted for the Traumatic Brain Injury/Rural
Veterans 
	> Outreach Act (H.R. 2199), which ensures that our veterans are
properly 
	> screened for Traumatic Brain Injury and receive the appropriate
treatment. 
	> The legislation also expands VA resources to provide rural
communities with 
	> "mobile vet centers" for mental health services and benefits
outreach. 
	> 
	> Because PTSD can take years to surface, we passed legislation to
make 
	> service members eligible for VA health insurance for five years
after 
	> leaving the armed services instead of two (H.R. 612). 
	> 
	> To keep up with t he inc reased cost of healthcare, I supported
H.R. 1284 
	> which increases the cost-of-living adjustment for veterans'
disability 
	> benefits. This bill will guarantee that benefits keep pace with
inflation, 
	> and our veterans will receive the financial support they need when
they 
	> return home. 
	> 
	> Finally, in September, I had the privilege of meeting with another
group of 
	> Louisiana's veterans brought to Washington by Louisiana Honor Air,
a group 
	> dedicated to providing every WWII veteran in Louisiana the
opportunity to 
	> visit their WWII Memorial in DC. While meeting with these brave
veterans, we 
	> were also joined by WWII combat veteran and former Senator and
Presidential 
	> nominee Bob Dole, who thanked the veterans for their service. 
	> 
	> As part of this memorable day, we visited the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier at 
	> Arlington National Cemetery, where our group presented a wreath to
honor all 
	> of the courageous men and women who have made the ultimate
sacrifice for our 
	> country's freedom. I am grateful to Louisiana Honor Air and our
veterans for 
	> allowing me to share in this moving experience. 
	> 
	> In closing, let me say again that serving as your representative
in Congress 
	> is a great privilege, and I will keep fighting every day for south

	> Louisiana's needs. Please don't hesitate to call my office in
Washington, or 
	> one of my four offices in Louisiana, if there is anything I can
help you 
	> with or if you want to share your opinion on upcoming issues in
Congress. I 
	> take your viewpoints very seriously and look forward to hearing
from you. 
	> 
	> Regards, 
	> Charlie Melancon 
	> U.S. Representative, Third Congressional District of Louisiana