STAND. COM. REP. 3333

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.C.R. No. 126

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 126 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR VETERANS BENEFITS AND SERVICES AND EXPRESSING DISAPPOINTMENT IN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH'S PLANS TO REDUCE VETERANS BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge Congress to increase funding for veterans benefits and services and expressing disappointment in President George W. Bush's plans to reduce veterans benefits.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Advocates for Consumer Rights.

The federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun efforts to halt enrolling new veterans into its health care system, citing a tight budget and overwhelming demand for services after opening their medical facilities to all veterans in 1998. A VA ban on newspaper ads and mailings to veterans encouraging their enrollment came at a time when approximately 300,000 veterans had been waiting for more than six months for an appointment at a VA medical facility, some waiting as long as two years for services. Although Congress is currently considering a bill to allocate funding to the VA in the sum of $28.6 billion for the current fiscal year, this funding level is still not enough to help alleviate many of the medical plights facing our brave American service men and women.

Members of the armed forces faithfully and diligently serve the people of the United States and have fought and died in numerous wars and conflicts around the globe to protect the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans. Your Committee finds that the current lack of support for veterans is deplorable and intolerable.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 126 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations,

____________________________

CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair