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Hoyer Joins President Obama as Veterans Bill is Signed into Law

August 7, 2014

BELVIOR, VA– Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) joined President Obama at Fort Belvoir as the President signed into law bipartisan legislation to improve veterans' access to health care. The legislation provides additional funding to allow veterans who are waiting more than 30 days for an appointment or who live more than 40 miles from a VA facility, including community based outpatient clinics, to seek care through a non-VA provider.  It makes investments to improve VA facilities and hire additional VA doctors.   

"I was proud to join the President today as he signed into law legislation that will help ensure veterans in Maryland and across the country have more timely access to quality health care," stated Congressman Hoyer.  "It is unconscionable that veterans were forced to wait weeks and months to get the care they needed, and both parties came together to pass this bipartisan legislation to address this serious issue and ensure we are meeting our obligation to our nation's veterans. In June, I organized a meeting with Directors of the Baltimore and Washington VA Medicals Centers, as well as Fifth District veterans and stakeholders, to discuss how we can improve access to care. This law will help move us in the right direction, and I will continue to work with the Maryland Congressional Delegation, the Obama administration, and all stakeholders in our community to continue to make progress and ensure veterans have the care and benefits they deserve."

Congressman Hoyer is committed to expanding access to health care for veterans in the Fifth District. In addition to supporting this legislation, he has worked with federal, state, and local officials and area veterans to obtain the funding needed to open a new, ADA-compliant CBOC in Charlotte Hall, which is expected to become operational in 2016, as well as a new CBOC satellite site in Lexington Park. Additionally, he continues to be concerned by the claims backlog at the VA's Baltimore Regional Office. In the Fall, he expects to meet with the newly-confirmed VA Secretary, Robert McDonald, to discuss what steps the VA is taking to improve the claims process for Maryland veterans.