For the past 3 years all the major veteran organizations have petitioned congress and the president to provide full funding for the VA because of the backlogs. It now takes 6 to 8 months for an appointment. Well today the administration said they miscalculated how much they needed to keep the doors open this year. Yep they need 1 billion dollars appropriated now and an additional 2 billion dollars for next year just to maintain the level of service we have now. Congress said they would appropriate 900 million right now and several members of congress asked for heads to roll when it was learned that the Bush administration's budget requests had not included any funds for any services provided to wounded and returning soldiers from our war nor had any been provided in the past two years. 80,000 returning troops have been and are being treated this year at the Hospitals and total enrollment is up 50% for the VA since 9/11 however total funds approved over the same period had not taken that into account and was based on three year old data with increases also based on the estimates from over three years ago. I said before and I maintain that not a single person who lives in this country supports our troops unless they support the ones who come home alive......Not just the heroes who are buried. Those who talk tough should be willing to pay for their tough talk if not with their own bodies, then with their dollars. Contact your elected rep tonight and demand full funding for the VA period! I spent several hours at the VA hosp in Des Moines today and they are the best health care professionals. They do more per person all the time and do not frown or complain. Over the years they have saved my life more than once. I volunteered for service when we were at war in the 60's and am very proud of my son who went active Army by choice a few months ago when his country again needed troops. Neither of us support the politics behind what has happened but that is not what patriotic is about. So , no matter what your politics are, support the VA (our troops) and contact your elected officials in Washington and tell them to take the politics out of it and give the VA a 100% funding for the first time in a couple of decades. Thanx Dennis
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