Rep. Walz Summer Veterans Newsletter
"Letter to Editor"07/24/2008
July 23, 2008
Dear Veteran,
I am proud to serve on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, where I continue to work to make important improvements to our veterans' benefits and hold the Department of Veterans' Affairs accountable in its work. I'd like to provide you with a brief update on some of my work.
I am pleased that under its new leadership, Congress has made it a top priority to do right by our veterans. One of the achievements that I am most proud of is our recent passage of a landmark piece of legislation, a new GI Bill for the 21st Century, which was enacted into law on June 30.
This historic legislation is designed to restore the promise of the original GI Bill, one of the greatest achievements of the twentieth century: a full four-year education for returning veterans that will give them a path to prosperity and help create a post-war economic recovery. I am also very pleased that this bill takes into account the fact that we are increasingly reliant on our National Guard and Reserves and it provides them with equitable educational benefits as well.
In May, the House passed a wide-ranging package of legislation that I helped write on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Among other things, this legislation will ensure that veterans with service-connected disabilities and their families get cost of living increases in the amount of their compensation. It also will authorize major medical facility projects and leases for the VA for the 2009 fiscal year so that VA can better serve the health care needs of our veterans.
Just last week, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee approved another package of legislation that will be coming up before the House of Representatives in a few days. This legislation includes a bill that I introduced back in May and have been working hard to get passed, the Veterans Pain Care Act of 2008.
My Veterans Pain Care Act will require the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive and consistent policy for the management of pain among our veterans. Pain is a leading cause of disability in our veterans, and this bill will also require the VA to conduct research, education and training in pain care. I am very hopeful that this legislation, along with other bills to improve the health care that our veterans receive at the VA, will be signed into law in the near future.
These are just a few examples of the work I am doing to make sure that Congress fulfills our obligations to our troops when they return home. Rest assured that as I serve in Congress, I will continue to work to make certain that southern Minnesota's veterans receive the benefits they deserve. For more information about my activities representing southern Minnesota in Congress, please visit http://walz.house.gov and sign up for my e-newsletter.
Sincerely,
Tim Walz
Member of Congress