Our government's obligation to veterans:.

During the 2003 Mid-Winter Conference, National Commander Edward R. Heath, Sr., delivered the DAV's National Legislative Program to a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees and urged Congress to approve legislation that would guarantee adequate funding for veterans medical care. Following are highlights of Commander Heath's stirring presentation which received enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation at its conclusion from the hundreds of DAV and Auxiliary members gathered for the event.

On behalf of the more than 1.4 million members of the Disabled American Veterans and its Auxiliary, it is an honor and a privilege to appear before you to discuss the legislative agenda and foremost concerns of our nation's wartime service-connected disabled veterans, their families and survivors.

Messrs. Chairmen, today, another generation of young American men and women has been placed in harm's way to protect our way of life. Tens of thousands have been leaving the comforts of home and family to deploy to the Persian Gulf region in the event of war with Iraq.

Because we ask a great sacrifice of these young men and women, our government must be prepared to care for them when they need us the most. Caring for those disabled in service to our country is a continuation of the costs of war. A young man or woman injured in the War on Terror will need the services provided by the VA long after the guns fall silent and the memories of this war have faded.

I am extremely proud of what the DAV stands for and what we have accomplished through the dedicated efforts of our members, our corps of volunteers, Department, Chapter, and National Service Officers, and those in leadership roles at all levels of the DAV.

Since our inception in 1920, the DAV has been dedicated to building better lives for our nation's disabled veterans and their families. During these 83 years, the DAV has never wavered in our commitment to that noble mission.

Let us not forget, however, that benefits and services for veterans remain first and foremost the responsibility of our government.

Each year, veterans must battle for funding to operate the VA health care system. Each year, the VA is forced to do more with less. Every year, more and more veterans, including our most severely disabled combat veterans, must wait longer to receive necessary health care.

In the mid-1990s, the DAV and nine other organizations formed the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Reform. At that time, the organizations, representing more than nine million veterans, petitioned Congress to reinvent veterans health care. We noted that Byzantine eligibility rules created haphazard access to care--some veterans received expensive inpatient services but were denied more efficient outpatient and preventive care.

We also discussed another problem, chronic under funding of the VA health care system. Because discretionary funding has failed to keep pace with medical inflation and the changing needs of the veteran population, the VA was forced to ration care, forego modernization of facilities, and put off the purchase of much-needed medical equipment.

At that time, the solution seemed rather obvious: guaranteed funding for a comprehensive benefit package to all eligible veterans who choose the VA.

To its credit, Congress passed the Health Care Eligibility Reform Act. However, the law provides that the Secretary shall furnish hospital care and medical services to Priority Groups 1-6 and may furnish services to other veterans, but only to the extent that Congress provides money to cover the costs of that care through discretionary appropriations.

Because the funding to cover the costs of treating veterans is not guaranteed, it is repeatedly insufficient. Therefore, the VA is forced to ration medical care.

Messrs. Chairmen, rationing health care is no way to honor America's obligation to the men and women who have so honorably served our nation and continue to carry the physical and mental scars of that service.

Guaranteed funding is a commonsense solution supported by all the major veterans service organizations to stop the severe rationing of health care that plagues the VA.

Messrs. Chairmen, DAV members will be urging their elected officials again to support current legislation to guarantee funding for VA health care. In the Senate, the legislation is S. 50, the Veterans Health Care Funding Guarantee Act of 2003. I hope we can count on the members of the Veterans' Affairs Committees to support our efforts to pass this vital legislation this year.

Also of critical concern to the DAV is the delivery of claims benefits. Despite its best efforts, the VA has been unable to completely conquer its quality and timeliness problems. The time it takes for the VA to accurately process claims is still too long.

The VA must be given sufficient resources and put in place serious reforms to solve its problems. America's disabled veterans deserve accurate and timely decisions on their claims for benefits. Anything less is an intolerable injustice.

Another injustice has continued for more than a century. In the last Congress most disabled military retirees were again denied legislation to repeal the prohibition against concurrent receipt of VA disability compensation and full military longevity retired pay.

The DAV will continue to fight for concurrent receipt, and we greatly appreciate the efforts by a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Representative Michael Bilirakis of Florida, who has again introduced H.R. 303.

Messrs. Chairmen, it is with deep sadness that I recall the passing last year of a great American hero, a combat-disabled Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War. Jesse Brown was a fiery advocate tier the rights of all veterans, especially those disabled in service to their country. It is with great satisfaction that I note that we are working with Representative Danny K. Davis of Illinois to rename Westside VA medical facility in Chicago in honor of former Secretary for Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown.

I know we can count on the members of these Committees to quickly pass this notable, worthy legislation as a fitting tribute.

It is with a profound sense of pride that I note another fitting tribute, a result of the DAV's collaboration with philanthropist Mrs. Lois Pope. It is a pleasure to report that our efforts to construct the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial have slow entered the design phase.

Messrs. Chairmen, as we move ahead to ensure the future of the VA and its indispensable programs and services, DAV and Auxiliary members will certainly do their part. But you are the principal advocates within Congress for our nation's veterans. You must supply the critical leadership necessary to make sure that America honors its obligation those who fought to preserve the freedoms enjoyed by the citizens of our nation.

Messrs. Chairmen, I have discussed at length our solution to the veterans health care crisis, and I would encourage these Committees to move forward with legislation to guarantee funding for VA health care.

Thank you for granting me the opportunity to share the DAV's proud record of service, to discuss out- concerns about the state of the VA, and to outline our agenda for the 108th Congress.

May Cod bless America and the young men and women who now stand in harm's way defending our country and the free world against the terrorists who would destroy all that we hold sacred. And may our government never forget its moral obligation to our nation's wartime disabled veterans.