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BILL ANALYSIS |
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By: Pena |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Rio Grande Valley has more than 100,000 veterans, yet the nearest U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital is in San Antonio which is as much as 300 miles and a five-hour trip away. Additionally, veterans seeking to make an appointment at the San Antonio facility typically wait months to be seen, even for serious conditions. The trip itself adds to the patient's physical distress. No ambulances are available to convey bedridden veterans to the facility, only van transportation is provided by veteran service groups. Once the patient arrives in San Antonio, they often wait for hours for their appointment, which can sometimes last only 15 minutes. Sometimes they need to stay overnight, which adds to the time and expense required for the trip. Many veterans are required to travel to San Antonio several times a month. Those veterans that are employed must take time off from work to make their medical appointment, which adds an additional financial burden to the veteran and his family.
The current facilities for veterans health care in the Rio Grande Valley are inadequate to care for the many veterans that need medical assistance. Veterans who live in the Valley, veterans from out of state that make their winter home in the Valley, and U. S. veterans that reside in Mexico all deserve a fully staffed, full-service veterans hospital.
HCR 86 urges the Congress of the United States of America to build a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande Valley to care for the more than 100,000 veterans living in the area.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
HCR 86 urges the Congress of the United States of America to build a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande Valley to care for the more than 100,000 veterans living in the area.