Dole and Shalala Laid Out Path for Better Veterans Care (Rep. Jerry McNerney)

I applaud the presentation yesterday from former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, the chairs of the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors.  Their recommendations laid out a path that will afford better care and service to our nation’s veterans.

Ensuring that our veterans receive the care they have earned through their service and sacrifice is not a partisan issue which today’s hearing highlighted.  Our veterans are heroes who have put their lives on the line for our nation and we owe them the best possible care that our nation can provide.  Veterans’ care is personal for me.  My dad was a veteran and my son is also a veteran.

We must recognize that there is a great need to treat our veterans, especially the new generation of veterans that is being created in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This report lays out a blueprint for how to make treatment for our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans more efficient and more effective by simplifying the process and taking the stress of managing treatment away from the severely injured and their families.