SJR 11-SUPPORTING U.S. VETERANS' HEALTH CARE    CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SJR 11. SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI presented an overview of SJR 11. He said it's a critical resolution that urges the US Congress to insure adequate funding for veterans' health care. Other states have enacted a similar type of resolution. The US Department of Veterans' Affairs provides a wide range of specialized medical care to meet the unique needs of veterans including treatment for spinal cord injuries, blindness, traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress disorder, amputation injuries, mental health and substance abuse, and conditions requiring long-term care. In addition, the department trains health care personnel, conducts medical research, and serves as backup to the US Department of Defense. Unfortunately this agency has been consistently underfunded. The US Government Accountability Office report in 2005 highlighted the lack of resources and staffing available to the Veterans Administration for processing an increasing backlog of veterans' claims. Funding for the department lags behind both medical inflation and the increased demand for services. For example, the enrollment for veterans' health care increased 134 percent between fiscal years 1996 and 2004, but funding only increased 34 percent during the same period when adjusted to 1996 dollars. Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, has publicly stated that the Department of Veterans Affairs has been struggling to provide health care to the rapidly rising number of veterans who need it. This resolution expresses the profound gratitude of the Alaska State Legislature for the sacrifices made by veterans who suffer from medical or mental problems resulting from injuries sustained while serving in the United States Armed Forces. More importantly it urges the United States Congress to ensure adequate funding for veterans' health care. 1:36:06 PM RIC DAVIDGE, President, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Anchorage, AK, said he was accompanied in his testimony by a panel from other veterans' organizations. This is the only bill of all 307 veterans' bills currently before Congress that all 9 national organizations are behind. They have seen funding levels for services to disabled veterans passed over for the last 20 years. The Veterans' Administration (VA) budget is currently part of the Department of Defense (DOD) construction budget. In a bill currently before the US House, HR 2514, the VA budget would stand on its own. This bill would move veterans' health care funding to a formula base that would be determined by how many are enrolled in the VA for services and how many are eligible. Any disabled veteran with a service-connected disability is eligible and retired veterans have services as well. One of the concerns expressed is that this would make veterans health care another welfare program. This is the only health care program in the US that is based on earned benefits, service and sacrifice. The legislation has had two hearings in the US House. Mr. Davidge said that VVA is in the forefront of the effort to organize states to submit a resolution of support. 1:39:57 PM MR. DAVIDGE said it wouldn't cost the state anything and that the return on this investment is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Veterans generate over $1 billion annually in revenue to the state of Alaska. This does not include active duty military or contracting by the DOD. According to the 2000 census, there are 75,400 veterans in the state. The VVA thinks the number is now about 80,000 veterans. 1:42:10 PM SENATOR DYSON joined the meeting. SENATOR THOMAS said he finds it very objectionable that the US government is not meeting the needs of these troops. He asked if veterans' insurance is considered primary. MR. DAVIDGE said that veterans, per se, do not have veterans' insurance. If they are retired, they have health care through a third party carrier. Most veterans do not access health care through the VA but through their own employer or they purchase health care on their own. He said that although he himself is 50 percent disabled and eligible for services with the VA, he doesn't use it because he can afford to buy his own insurance. In Alaska, the VA serves less than 20 percent of veterans although 40 percent are probably eligible. He said that old veterans are sort of the forgotten population and that new veterans are the focus. One of the areas that is underfunded is post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) programs, especially for Vietnam veterans who had a very high incidence of PTSD because, he thinks, communities did not welcome them when they returned. 1:46:25 PM SENATOR THOMAS said he would appreciate more information about this to share with his colleagues. JOHN YOUMANS, Alaska Veterans Business Alliance, Anchorage, AK, expressed support of SJR 11. CHAIR DAVIS asked who the sponsor of the bill in Congress is. MR. DAVIDGE said it is Congressman Hare. He said they have been trying to get a senate companion bill. He said they are pleased with the content of the bill, but there are some technical amendments needed to ensure appropriate congressional oversight. He said he would forward the new version when it is complete. 1:47:53 PM WILLIAM GOSSWEILER, Vietnam Veterans of America, Anchorage, AK, said he's supportive of this resolution and said it is one of the strongest measures that his organization has been fighting for. He said they are very passionate about protecting all veterans, not just of his era, but the ones coming back from Iraq as well. MR. DAVIDGE listed the names of the veteran's organizations that support the bill: the American Legion, American Veterans, Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans of the US, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as VVA. CHAIR DAVIS said that the VA has a great medical network and delivery system and suggested it would be wise to consider it when putting together like systems for the state. 1:51:12 PM JOHN NEWMAN, Regional Director, Pacific Northwest VVA, Seattle, WA, said that every veteran contracts to serve just as the US contracts to take care of their medical coverage. He also pointed out that mental health care is still health care. 1:52:52 PM DIANE SLATER, Vietnam-era Veteran, Juneau, AK, said she was formerly with the Alaska and Washington National Guard and strongly supports this bill. SENATOR COWDERY said he supports the resolution. CHAIR DAVIS said she would like to move SJR 11 out of committee and asked for a motion. 1:54:24 PM SENATOR DYSON moved SJR 11 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, the motion carried.