Statement of Senator John F. Kerry Massachusetts

Every Veteran Deserves The Best Care
Recently, we've heard media reports suggesting that our brave returning military servicemembers are getting inferior care at Walter Reed Medical Center and other facilities when they return from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s unacceptable to me and it should be unacceptable to all of us. I intend to hold the Bush Administration accountable for the failure to anticipate the number of wounded militatry and to provide adequate care and outreach to families that are already hurting.
Congress is holding hearings and several investigations are underway. In the Senate, I am talking with colleagues about setting aside additional funds to pay for imemdiate improvements and additional staff to process paperwork. I intend to make sure that our bravest from Massachusetts get the care they deserve. Since 9-11, more than 15,000 servicemembers from Massachusetts have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; another 2,200 were there as recently as Christmas. We have nearly 477,000 veterans in our state and all of them have earned our care and respect.

I encourage any returning servicemember or family of a servicemember who is having trouble getting the kind of health-care or counseling assistance from the miltiary of VA system that they need to reach out to my office. We are here for them and we will do everything we can to insure that everyone gets the help they need.