11.10.15

Sullivan Supports Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Today U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) voted in support of H.R. 2029, The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act. The bipartisan funding package, which passed the U.S. Senate unanimously, funds military construction projects across the nation, including facilities that support active duty military members and their families. This bill also funds the health care and benefits services and programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“The last thing our veterans need to worry about on Veterans Day is whether their government will fund the services and support they depend on,” said Senator Sullivan. "Today, on the eve of the day that honors those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, I was pleased to join my colleagues in unanimously passing this critical bill. Our veterans answered the call of our nation, and in return, we have a duty to make good on our promise to care for them. This vote is an important step toward keeping our word and honoring their sacrifice.” 

Senator Sullivan successfully included two amendments in today’s appropriations bill to help address veteran’s health care issues in rural areas, including the VA’s failed implementation of the Choice Program in Alaska.

“I am hopeful that my amendments will help to hold VA officials accountable to the veterans they serve and will begin the process of creating a more responsive and conscientious culture at the VA,” said Senator Sullivan. “These amendments are a small step in helping Alaska’s veterans, and there is still much work to be done on these issues. Alaskans should know that I will continue to hold the VA's feet to the fire until they fix what's gone wrong in Alaska for each and every Alaska veteran. Our nation owes it to them and I am committed to making sure the VA delivers on that debt.”

Background on Sullivan Amendments included in H.R. 2029:

Veterans Choice Program Report:  The VA shall submit a report to Congress on the implementation of the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) in rural areas. Elements of the report should include:

  • An identification of the average wait time to receive care (measured from when a veteran first calls the VA)
  • Utilization rates for health care under the VCP
  • An assessment of veterans’ access to primary and specialty care within VA Medical Centers and VCP
  • The number of Choice providers in each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN)
  • Status of any pilot programs created as a result of the VCP, like the recently created Alaska Pilot Program

GAO Rural Provider Shortage Report: The GAO shall submit a report to Congress and provide recommendations to improve recruitment and retention of VA medical providers. Elements of the report should include:

  • State-by-state breakdown on the veteran-to-medical provider ratio
  • State-by-state workload analysis of primary and specialty care providers
  • An assessment of initiatives carried out by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to recruit and retain health care providers of the Department
  • The extent to which VHA oversees its medical providers
  • Recommendations for improving recruitment and retention of health care providers at the VA

Furthermore, it is important to note H.R. 2029 also provides Alaska funding for a number of military construction projects, including:

  • $37 million for an F-35A Flight Simulator at Eielson Air Force Base
  • $34 million for the repair and replacement of a boiler at Eielson Air Force Base’s central heat and power plant
  • $7.8 million for a Physical Readiness Training Facility at Fort Greely

 

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