Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
RGV ValleyVets: Senate Bill 396 Full Service Medical Center for So...
RGV ValleyVets: Senate Bill 396 Full Service Medical Center for So...: "'Our service members should never have to come home from fighting a war only to fight to get the benefits and care that they deserve,' said ..."
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Local Office of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
June 1, 2011
Harlingen, TX
Valley Veterans (Valley Vets) met with Kevin Kane, Veterans & Military Assistant to Kay Bailey Hutchison via a tele-conference arranged by Hutchison’s local coordinator Julian Alvarez.
Kane told the Valley Vets that the Senator remains committed to getting a Full Medical Service Center of the south Texas area. He said that she stands firm on her commitment made at the Ribbon Cutting ceremonies for the new VA Ambulatory & Outpatient Surgical Center in Harlingen, TX on February 25. She supports and endorses Senate Bill 396 which calls for an expansion of the Surgical Center facility to a full service medical center.
Asked as when action will be taken by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee he stated that in the near future the Committee will have “legislative mark-up session” and at this time he does not know what will be on agenda. Santiago Jimmy Kummel asked if there was any way to find out and how often to the legislative mark-up sessions’ are held. Kane responded that he will contact the staff of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and find out what will be on the agenda. He is not sure, but he thinks that the Committee has these sessions every month. Kummel followed up by asking if it would be possible for the Senator to request the minute allowed by C SPAN. There is a program on C SPAN which allows for one minute participation by Congress members to discuss any issue they want. Kane said he would look into it. Ruben Cantu asked if he knew if letters being sent to Senators of the Veterans Affairs Committee were being received. He said that he had heard that letters were indeed being received but that their staff had been contacted by anyone receiving the letters.
Kane asked the veterans to provide him with information regarding any difficulties being experienced by veterans trying to get medical care at the VA. He wanted to know if there are veterans that are still going to San Antonio. His office will try and contact the office of Congressman Blake Farenthold and asked them it a meeting on HB 837 can be arranged so that valley vets can meet with the Congressman. He said that he will work on it from the Washington while veterans continue try to meet with him in the valley.
Joe Ibarra told him to relay a message to the Senator that veterans are losing patience and in a sense getting desperate because so far it has only being speeches and promises of a VA hospital but veterans have not seen one. Kane was told that veterans were looking toward the Senator as well as Senator John Cornyn to provide the leadership and ideas for veterans to help in trying to get SB 396 before a vote. Ibarra commented that a vote whether up or down would give veterans a much realistic idea.
The meeting ended in a positive note with both sides committing to helping with whatever needs to be done to get SB 396 moving. Kane promised more meeting in the near future since he was asked if it would be wise to send a delegation to DC. Veterans want to know if either Senator can get some appointments with key senators on the Vet/Aff Committee.
Standing is Pablo Flores, to his right is Treto Garza, Adelaido Cantu, Joe Ibarra, Jimmy Krummel, Ruben Cantu, Julian Alvarez, Antonio and Maria Carmona.
June 1, 2011
Harlingen, TX
Valley Veterans (Valley Vets) met with Kevin Kane, Veterans & Military Assistant to Kay Bailey Hutchison via a tele-conference arranged by Hutchison’s local coordinator Julian Alvarez.
Kane told the Valley Vets that the Senator remains committed to getting a Full Medical Service Center of the south Texas area. He said that she stands firm on her commitment made at the Ribbon Cutting ceremonies for the new VA Ambulatory & Outpatient Surgical Center in Harlingen, TX on February 25. She supports and endorses Senate Bill 396 which calls for an expansion of the Surgical Center facility to a full service medical center.
Asked as when action will be taken by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee he stated that in the near future the Committee will have “legislative mark-up session” and at this time he does not know what will be on agenda. Santiago Jimmy Kummel asked if there was any way to find out and how often to the legislative mark-up sessions’ are held. Kane responded that he will contact the staff of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and find out what will be on the agenda. He is not sure, but he thinks that the Committee has these sessions every month. Kummel followed up by asking if it would be possible for the Senator to request the minute allowed by C SPAN. There is a program on C SPAN which allows for one minute participation by Congress members to discuss any issue they want. Kane said he would look into it. Ruben Cantu asked if he knew if letters being sent to Senators of the Veterans Affairs Committee were being received. He said that he had heard that letters were indeed being received but that their staff had been contacted by anyone receiving the letters.
Kane asked the veterans to provide him with information regarding any difficulties being experienced by veterans trying to get medical care at the VA. He wanted to know if there are veterans that are still going to San Antonio. His office will try and contact the office of Congressman Blake Farenthold and asked them it a meeting on HB 837 can be arranged so that valley vets can meet with the Congressman. He said that he will work on it from the Washington while veterans continue try to meet with him in the valley.
Joe Ibarra told him to relay a message to the Senator that veterans are losing patience and in a sense getting desperate because so far it has only being speeches and promises of a VA hospital but veterans have not seen one. Kane was told that veterans were looking toward the Senator as well as Senator John Cornyn to provide the leadership and ideas for veterans to help in trying to get SB 396 before a vote. Ibarra commented that a vote whether up or down would give veterans a much realistic idea.
The meeting ended in a positive note with both sides committing to helping with whatever needs to be done to get SB 396 moving. Kane promised more meeting in the near future since he was asked if it would be wise to send a delegation to DC. Veterans want to know if either Senator can get some appointments with key senators on the Vet/Aff Committee.
Open Letter on Redistricting
Open Letter to Congress members of Texas Democratic Congressional Representatives Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Gene Green (TX-29), Lloyd Doggett (TX-25), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18), Silvestre Reyes (TX-16), Charlie Gonzalez (TX-20), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), and Al Green (TX-09).
You showed concern in a letter about the lack of Hispanics being considered in the new redistricting map. Well, Congress members, how do you think that we veterans of south Texas feel when we are annually denied a VA hospital to the large numbers of veterans in south Texas. Is it because we are pre-dominantly Hispanic? Do we need 50%+ hispanic members in Congress in order for us to get a VA hospital.
Veterans have been told by some of you and other members of Congress not to play the race card because it will turn off many members. Well, their "on" light has never been turned on. So what do we do to turn them on?
Just about everyone in south Texas feels that a VA hospital for our veterans is long overdue and is definitely needed. So, why are veterans denied one. Even in solemn memorial services this past Memorial Day, speakers ventured into the delicate issue; reminding those attending that a VA hospital is needed for those veterans that did make it back. It is common talk about town, and yet, the voices of the ex-servicemen and women, our veterans are ignored north of the imaginary line between Corpus Christi and Laredo. Even when our winter Texan comrades return, we are still pre-dominately Hispanic.
Would some of you show your concern and co-sponsor either HB 837 or 1318? Would some of you approach your colleagues at the House Veterans Affairs Committee and ask them to bring these bills before their agenda and vote on them?And remember that veterans down here in south Texas served proudly in the United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Coast Guard as Americans. Some gave some, others gave all for the same Colors and Freedoms that many Americans enjoy.
It is time for south Texas to have a VA hospital or in the words of Congressman Cuellar, a Full Service Medical Center.
Thank you,
Arturo Treto Garza-USMC
Jose A. Ibarra-U.S. Army Retired
Antonio Tony Arenas U.S. Air Force
Ruben Cordova-U.S. Navy
You showed concern in a letter about the lack of Hispanics being considered in the new redistricting map. Well, Congress members, how do you think that we veterans of south Texas feel when we are annually denied a VA hospital to the large numbers of veterans in south Texas. Is it because we are pre-dominantly Hispanic? Do we need 50%+ hispanic members in Congress in order for us to get a VA hospital.
Veterans have been told by some of you and other members of Congress not to play the race card because it will turn off many members. Well, their "on" light has never been turned on. So what do we do to turn them on?
Just about everyone in south Texas feels that a VA hospital for our veterans is long overdue and is definitely needed. So, why are veterans denied one. Even in solemn memorial services this past Memorial Day, speakers ventured into the delicate issue; reminding those attending that a VA hospital is needed for those veterans that did make it back. It is common talk about town, and yet, the voices of the ex-servicemen and women, our veterans are ignored north of the imaginary line between Corpus Christi and Laredo. Even when our winter Texan comrades return, we are still pre-dominately Hispanic.
Would some of you show your concern and co-sponsor either HB 837 or 1318? Would some of you approach your colleagues at the House Veterans Affairs Committee and ask them to bring these bills before their agenda and vote on them?And remember that veterans down here in south Texas served proudly in the United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Coast Guard as Americans. Some gave some, others gave all for the same Colors and Freedoms that many Americans enjoy.
It is time for south Texas to have a VA hospital or in the words of Congressman Cuellar, a Full Service Medical Center.
Thank you,
Arturo Treto Garza-USMC
Jose A. Ibarra-U.S. Army Retired
Antonio Tony Arenas U.S. Air Force
Ruben Cordova-U.S. Navy
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