FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2008
May 29, 2008
Michael Victorian
(202) 639-6405
Tim Nicklas
(202) 639-4029
(202) 639-6405
Tim Nicklas
(202) 639-4029
AFGE Launches Fund the VA Web Site and YouTube Ad Campaign to Fully Fund the VA
(WASHINGTON) – This week, the American Federation of Government Employee’s (AFGE) launched a nationwide campaign urging congress to provide fully assured for the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. The campaign was kicked off with the launch of a viral political advocacy ad on YouTube and was followed by the launch of www.fundtheva.com. Both the Web site and the ad target Senator John McCain’s call to privatize veteran’s health care.
“As one of the most prominent veterans in the country, Senator McCain is now in a position to do something that will have a long range impact on the health care of his fellow veterans,” says AFGE President John Gage. “We feel strongly that the proposals made by McCain, one of the nation’s most high profile veterans, are misguided and unjust.”
In February, Sen. McCain told press in New Hampshire that he plans to offer veterans vouchers to receive care at private for-profit healthcare facilitates a move. According to AFGE, that would be tantamount to dismantling the current veterans Health Administration (VHA), which is widely regarded as the nation’s foremost medical health care system.
The radio ad features, AFGE member, Phil Glover expressing concerns about the McCain voucher plan calling it a means of privatizing veterans’ health care and undermining the solvency of the VA. Glover says that McCain’s plan, “would be the end of the VA – the end of the promise and the start of a huge boondoggle for big corporations.
“Many of the short falls of the VA can be directly attributed to a lack of funding,” said J. David Cox, AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer who is also a former VA nurse. “We urge all members of Congress to support full mandatory funding for the VA to ensure that vouchers would not cripple the system by diverting funding away form veterans health-care.”
To view the site visit www.fundtheva.com and to view the ad visit http://youtube.com/watch?v=RgMgQpAY0fo
“As one of the most prominent veterans in the country, Senator McCain is now in a position to do something that will have a long range impact on the health care of his fellow veterans,” says AFGE President John Gage. “We feel strongly that the proposals made by McCain, one of the nation’s most high profile veterans, are misguided and unjust.”
In February, Sen. McCain told press in New Hampshire that he plans to offer veterans vouchers to receive care at private for-profit healthcare facilitates a move. According to AFGE, that would be tantamount to dismantling the current veterans Health Administration (VHA), which is widely regarded as the nation’s foremost medical health care system.
The radio ad features, AFGE member, Phil Glover expressing concerns about the McCain voucher plan calling it a means of privatizing veterans’ health care and undermining the solvency of the VA. Glover says that McCain’s plan, “would be the end of the VA – the end of the promise and the start of a huge boondoggle for big corporations.
“Many of the short falls of the VA can be directly attributed to a lack of funding,” said J. David Cox, AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer who is also a former VA nurse. “We urge all members of Congress to support full mandatory funding for the VA to ensure that vouchers would not cripple the system by diverting funding away form veterans health-care.”
To view the site visit www.fundtheva.com and to view the ad visit http://youtube.com/watch?v=RgMgQpAY0fo
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For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.
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