The Independent Budget calls for $25.8 billion for medical care for veterans to correct the problems caused from years of flat-line budgets.
“Understaffing and underfunding has meant shameful delays in scheduling medical appointments, backlogs in veterans’ claims for benefits and denying veterans access to care because DVA does not have the staff or the beds for them,” Harnage added.
“Independent Budget allies point to the dangers posed to veterans by creeping privatization efforts,” Harnage said. “AFGE stands with veterans service groups in support of the Independent Budget and against those who would dismantle the DVA either through withering budgets or through privatization,” Harnage concluded.
The American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, is the largest union for government employees, representing 600,000 federal workers in the United States and overseas, as well as employees of the District of Columbia. AFGE represents some 125,000 DVA employees nationwide. For more information, visit AFGE’s Web site at www.afge.org.
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