May 6, 2010

At a March 3 meeting in the White House Oval Office, National Commander Bobby Barrera personally thanked President Barack Obama for his unwavering support for the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act and for going to bat for veterans.

“The president’s support of this advance appropriation act truly honors the service and sacrifice of our nation’s disabled veterans and their families,” said Commander Barrera. “His support for this initiative while in the Senate, throughout the 2008 election campaign and as president has improved health care delivery to veterans.”

The budget reform law, signed Oct. 22, 2009, authorizes Congress to fund VA health care one year in advance at the start of each fiscal year. It effectively ends the funding delays that have plagued the VA and forced it to ration health care to veterans when Congress failed to pass appropriations bills on time.

Commander Barrera presented the president with a commemorative DAV baseball bat and was accompanied by National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson and National Headquarters Executive Director Richard E. Patterson.

“This is one of the greatest victories for veterans in the history of the DAV,” said Adjutant Wilson. “President Obama never gave up. He worked diligently, always keeping the benefits of our veterans in mind, and continues to do so in the current proposed budget.”

President Obama’s proposed $125 billion VA budget for fiscal year 2011 will provide expanded health care to a record number of veterans and includes $60.3 billion for discretionary spending, mostly for health care. That is nearly $4.2 billion more than the fiscal year 2010 appropriated level. The budget request includes advance appropriations recommendations of $54.3 billion for medical care programs for fiscal year 2012.

“We are deeply grateful to President Obama for his support of our nation’s veterans,” Barrera said. “This commemorative baseball bat is a small token of our appreciation for going to bat for veterans.”

President Obama discussed a number of important issues with the DAV delegation, particularly the logjam of veterans’ benefits claims and said the VA is working on the problem. He also talked about his administration’s efforts to address the problem of homeless veterans and improved job opportunities for veterans.

The president wasn’t the only lawmaker to earn praise from the DAV. A number of representatives were recognized for stepping up to the plate for disabled veterans and their families.