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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS |
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Chairman Moran Calls on VA to Upgrade Facilities and Expand Programs to Accommodate Increasing Number of Women Veterans (Washington) - "With our country at war, and with nearly 20% of our current active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines being servicewomen, the VA must improve their services and facilities to accommodate even more women veterans in the coming years," Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Moran (KS-1) said at a Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee hearing this week. "Women are taking on new responsibilities in the armed forces. They are becoming a vital link in the success of our military today, and will be even more crucial in the future," said Chairman Moran. "VA must actively re-position itself to welcome and outreach to women veterans, be sensitive to their needs, and ensure their health needs are being met with high quality programs," he said. Testifying before the Health Subcommittee was Congresswoman Heather Wilson (NM-1), the only woman veteran serving in Congress. Also testifying were Dr. Robert Roswell, VA Undersecretary for Health; Ms. Marsha Four, the Chair of the VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans; Dr. Linda Schwartz, a former Chair of the Advisory Committee, and current professor at Yale University; Ms. Joy Ilem of Disabled American Veterans, herself a veteran; Ms. Carole Turner, the VA Director for Women's Health Programs; Ms. Toni Lawrie, Coordinator of the Women's Clinic at the VA Medical Center in Bay Pines, Florida; and Dr. Margaret Seaver, Director of the Women's Health Care Program at the Boston, Massachusetts VA Health Care System. Chairman Moran urged VA to "smash any perceived 'glass ceiling' or other limitations preventing women veterans from seeking or receiving quality VA primary health care. Furthermore, VA must ensure that there are sufficient specialized care facilities targeted to women veterans, including counseling for sexual trauma, mental health services, and safe domiciliaries for homeless women veterans and their children." "Every veteran has a right to personal privacy, and for women that includes private bed accommodations away from other patients, and even simple things like privacy curtains and separate women's restrooms," said Moran. "Throughout most of its history, VA has been a men's health and medical program - almost by design," Moran said. "And while there has been progress in serving female veterans, more needs to be done. Women are defending our nation in the armed services. They serve our country with distinction today, and women deserve our nation's thanks as veterans today -- and tomorrow," he said. _______________________________________________________________________________ Please visit http://veterans.house.gov, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs web site, named 'One of the Best Web Sites in Congress' by the Congressional Management Foundation, May 3, 1999. |
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