PRINTER'S NO. 3565
No. 639 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY FABRIZIO, BEBKO-JONES, SCRIMENTI, VEON, BIANCUCCI,
CORRIGAN, COSTA, DONATUCCI, FICHTER, GEORGE, GERGELY,
GOODMAN, JAMES, LaGROTTA, LEDERER, MANN, MARKOSEK, McCALL,
MELIO, SURRA, TANGRETTI, J. TAYLOR, J. EVANS, THOMAS,
DeWEESE, SAINATO, PALLONE, BROWNE, WALKO, TIGUE, HARHAI,
HUTCHINSON, YOUNGBLOOD, KOTIK, STABACK, READSHAW, JOSEPHS AND
WASHINGTON, MARCH 26, 2004
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 26, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs to
2 reconsider the negative impact of downsizing veterans medical
3 centers, especially the Erie Veterans Medical Center in Erie,
4 Pennsylvania.
5 WHEREAS, The patient load for veterans has risen 21% since
6 2001 to more than 6 million participants, doubling since the
7 mid-1990s, and 164,000 new veterans were expected to enroll
8 during 2003; and
9 WHEREAS, Currently 6.9 million veterans are eligible for
10 veterans medical benefits; and
11 WHEREAS, In the last five years the Department of Veterans
12 Affairs (VA) has cut 20,587 health care employees from its work
13 force, or approximately 9% of its health care employees, and has
14 decreased the number of doctors by half; and
15 WHEREAS, On average a backlog of 260,000 veterans comprises a
16 waiting list of approximately six months before a veteran
1 receives a first appointment at a VA facility; and
2 WHEREAS, The Bush budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2005
3 will, if passed, impose hardships on veterans, including a $250
4 annual fee for non-service-related injury or condition,
5 increased prescription copays from $7 to $15 and increased
6 medical copays for some veterans; and
7 WHEREAS, The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi,
8 set up a panel known as the CARES commission to recommend ways
9 to abridge veterans services; and
10 WHEREAS, The CARES commission recommended that the inpatient
11 surgical unit at the Erie Veterans Medical Center be closed; and
12 WHEREAS, The CARES commission also recommended that all acute
13 care beds at the Erie center be closed; and
14 WHEREAS, The CARES commission proposed referral of Erie area
15 veterans to the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; therefore be it
16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize the
17 Congress of the United States and the Department of Veterans
18 Affairs to reconsider the negative impact of downsizing veterans
19 medical centers and especially the center in Erie, Pennsylvania;
20 and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
22 each member of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation and to
23 the Department of Veterans Affairs for timely consideration and
24 review of the proposed closures in the Erie area.
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