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JUNE 6, 2007 – SENATE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIRS URGE VA RESEARCH
FUNDING INCREASE
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Jessica Scheufele
(Veterans’ Affairs) |
| June 6, 2007 |
(202) 224-9126 |
AKAKA AND CRAIG URGE
INCREASED FUNDING FOR VA RESEARCH
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator
Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Committee of Veterans’ Affairs,
and Ranking Member U.S. Senator Larry E.Craig (R-ID), sent a letter to
the Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee responsible for VA funding,
urging a significant increase in the appropriation for VA’s Medical and
Prosthetic Research Program. The Senators stressed that VA requires
increased funds to sustain current research and for VA researchers to
continue to make advances for conditions that particularly affect
veterans. The letter
follows: The
Honorable Tim Johnson, Chairman
The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison, Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Hutchison:
We strongly urge the Appropriations
Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs to
demonstrate this Nation’s commitment to its veterans by providing an
increase for Fiscal Year 2008 substantially above last year’s funding
level for VA’s Medical and Prosthetic Research Program.
The President’s proposed FY08 budget for
VA research is $411 million, a $1 million decrease from current funding
levels. Adopting the President’s VA research budget would result in the
direct loss of 193 full-time employees (FTE), impacting VA’s ability to
effectively respond to the medical needs of veterans. VA requires
increased funds just to sustain current research and development program
commitments, and to cover inflationary cost increases associated with
these commitments. Unfortunately, the President has proposed flatline
funding of the VA research budget for a third consecutive year, which
would severely impair VA’s ability to respond to the changing needs of
veterans, young and old.
VA provides the best health care within
its means, but research is necessary if we are to enable VA to adapt and
improve care. This is of obvious importance as OEF/OIF combat wounded
return with complicated injuries such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),
and as veterans of previous wars face an increasing number of
age-related health issues. TBI has become the signature wound of the war
in Iraq and we must commit the proper resources to deal with and treat
all aspects of the injury.
VA health care is the largest health care
system in the Nation. In addition to enhancing medical service for
veterans, the VA research program’s discoveries enhance medical care for
all Americans. Past VA research projects have resulted in the first
successful liver transplant performed in the U.S., the development of
the cardiac pacemaker, as well as theory-building that led to the
development of the CT scan. Current research is needed in areas such as
colorectal cancer, a common form of cancer of increased concern to aging
veterans. Another exciting area of VA research is pharmacogenomics, a
branch of genome medicine, which involves customizing drug treatment
based on an analysis of the patient’s DNA. Research in this area has
already shown how variations in a person’s DNA can affect their response
to medications. Future VA research can be expected to lead to other
groundbreaking innovations, as long as the program has the funding to
get the job done.
A robust research program is also essential if VA is to match the needs
of servicemembers returning from combat who are suffering injuries that
would have been fatal in previous wars. Improvements in battlefield
medicine enable the military medical personnel to stabilize injuries,
but often the wounded men and women will require prosthetics and
extensive rehabilitation to achieve maximum independence. There should
be no disagreement that for all these veterans have sacrificed in the
line of duty, we should match their commitment to service with a similar
commitment to vigorously explore new ways to help them live freer and
fuller lives. VA leads the way in making that happen through research,
but it is up to Congress to give them the financial support they
require. We thank
you for your attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,
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| DANIEL K. AKAKA |
LARRY CRAIG |
| Chairman |
Ranking Member |
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