HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The Kerrville Veterans Administration Medical 1-2 Center, which consistently ranks high among Texas-based veterans' 1-3 hospitals, is a "veteran-friendly" facility offering the very best 1-4 of medical care and an outstanding corps of affiliated physicians, 1-5 nurses, and support personnel; and 1-6 WHEREAS, It is a valuable regional resource and a comfort to 1-7 the many thousands of military retirees who have settled in the 1-8 Texas Hill Country both for the allure of those environs and the 1-9 close proximity in their older age to the expertise of highly 1-10 qualified health practitioners; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The Kerrville institution has a long and successful 1-12 history; begun in 1919, it opened its doors two years later after 1-13 fund-raising by the American Legion and appropriations from the 1-14 37th Legislature; the federal government bought the facility from 1-15 the state in 1926, eventually to incorporate it within the Veterans 1-16 Affairs Medical Center System; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Over the last 10 years, the U.S. Department of 1-18 Veterans Affairs has spent almost $20 million upgrading the center, 1-19 installing the most modern equipment and enhancing its ability to 1-20 treat and attend our veterans in a manner reciprocating their 1-21 service in behalf of this nation; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Absent a policy reversal, the center will be phased 1-23 out for extended hospital care by May 1999, and will keep intensive 1-24 care patients for only 24 hours before transferring them to another 2-1 Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in San Antonio or, if 2-2 that is full, to private hospitals in the Bexar County area; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Given the investment in and improvements to the 2-4 center in the past decade, these diminutions of service seem both a 2-5 waste of money and federal resources and a creation of geographic 2-6 inconvenience for veterans in Kerr County and surrounding 2-7 communities; and 2-8 WHEREAS, The continued vitality of the Kerrville Veterans 2-9 Administration Medical Center as a first-class hospital is an issue 2-10 of importance not only to the people of Kerrville and the Hill 2-11 Country region but also to Texas generally because of its strategic 2-12 role in meeting the health needs of the citizens of this state; 2-13 now, therefore, be it 2-14 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-15 hereby respectfully request the Congress of the United States to 2-16 ensure the future of the Kerrville Veterans Administration Medical 2-17 Center by providing that it be fully funded, staffed, and utilized, 2-18 and by restoring and promoting the health rights and benefits of 2-19 the Texas veterans who are its prospective patrons; and, be it 2-20 further 2-21 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 2-22 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 2-23 the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of 2-24 the senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of 2-25 the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that this 2-26 resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a 3-1 memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. Hilderbran _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 102 was adopted by the House on April 23, 1999, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 102 was adopted by the Senate on May 13, 1999, by a viva-voce vote. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor