MESSAGE FROM THE
NEW VA SECRETARY SHULKIN CONFIRMED
Editor’s Note: Te Senate unanimously confirmed Dr. David J. Shulkin as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs on Feb. 13, 2017. Prior to his confirma- tion as Secretary, Dr. Shulkin served as VA’s Under Secretary for Health for 18 months, leading the Nation’s larg- est integrated health care system, with more than 1,700 sites of care serving nearly nine million Veterans. Secretary Shulkin issued the following remarks: “I am grateful to President Trump and to members of
The Honorable David J. Shulkin
Congress for entrusting me with the privilege of serving Veterans and the dedicated employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs as your secretary. It is my highest profes- sional honor. “Together, we’ll ensure our nation’s obligation to provide
care and benefits to those “who shall have borne the battle” and fulfill our institutional I CARE Values: integrity, com- mitment, advocacy, respect and excellence. “Tat obligation and those values are sacred to me, first,
as an American—a beneficiary of the service and sacrifices of Veterans and their families who defend our uniquely Ameri- can freedoms and opportunities. Tey’re also sacred to me because my father served the nation as an Army psychiatrist, and both my grandfathers were Army Veterans. My paternal grandfather served as chief pharmacist at the VA hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, and as a young doctor, I trained in VA hospitals. So, serving the nation and serving Veterans is a family tradition. “It was a privilege to serve as VA’s Under Secretary for
Health over the past year and a half. Now, I look forward to continuing our collective efforts across the department and our country to deliver the care and services our Veterans need and deserve. Among many critical efforts already under way, we will continue building on significant progress to increase access for Veterans, prevent suicide, address unique needs of women Veterans, support Veterans’ families and caregivers, continue to drive down the disability backlog and Veteran homelessness, and pursue necessary legislation to reform the outdated appeals process and for other critical legislative priorities. With the support of the president, Congress, Vet- erans, their service organizations and the American people, we—the dedicated employees of VA—will continue to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise. Tere is no nobler mission. Tere is no higher calling for any American. I am humbled and proud to serve with you.”
RENEWED EFFORT TO EXPAND
VA CAREGIVER PROGRAM MORE SUPPORT FOR VET FAMILIES
AFSA strongly supports the expansion of the VA caregiver program to include Veterans of other engagements. We believe there should be no distinction in the sacrifices made by severely disabled Veterans or their families, regardless of where or when they served. On March 8, 2017, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) reintroduced bipartisan legislation in both the Senate and the House to expand a successful program that helps those who care for wounded, ill, or injured Veterans. “Te Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act,” S. 591 and H.R. 1472 (respectively), would open the program to Veterans of all eras, making resources available to more of the family members and other loved ones who have taken on a caregiver role for Veterans. Among other things,
these AFSA-endorsed bills would: • Make Veterans of all eras eligible for caregiver support services. Currently, only post-9/11 Veterans are eligible;
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