VCS Update: VA Crisis Worsens, Call Senators Today

[unhappycamper]

Received via email:


Dear unhappycamper:

There are six days until Veterans Day.

VCS needs your help today so that we can make sure that the up to 20 percent of our Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans returning home with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are not left twisting in the wind.

Out of our 1.6 million U.S. service members deployed to the two wars so far, that means up to 320,000 may return with TBI. Finally, after much pressure, the Army is now starting PTSD and TBI awareness campaigns.

VCS believes that in order to mitigate VA's capacity crisis, VA needs strong leadership, a bureaucratic overhaul, and mandatory full funding. That's why VCS will be interviewed by Minnesota Public Radio today at 9:30 Central Time. The subject of the radio interview is the 52,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans already diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by VA hospitals.

Here are three quick items for this week's update. First, the Associated Press reports that VA hospitals in Florida regularly refuse medical care to our Nation's disabled veterans. That's right, an outrageous 27 percent of our critical condition veterans were turned away.

Second, President George W. Bush picked the unqualified General James Peake to lead VA. General Peake bears personal responsibility, along with President Bush, for failing to plan for the 70,000 military battlefield casualties and the 250,000 new VA patients from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

VCS strongly urges the Senate to reject General Peake, who served as Army Attorney General between 2000 and 2004, and who knew all about the serious problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, yet failed to fix it. Please call your two U.S. Senators today and ask them to prevent him from causing any more damage. Ask Senators to insist that President Bush nominate someone with VA and healthcare experience, not someone who caused many problems.

Third, if we want to end President Bush's inhumane and unconstitutional torture policy, then we must also flood Senator Diane Feinstein’s and Senator Chuck Schumer’s offices with calls to prevent the confirmation of Judge Michael Mukasey as the new Attorney General.

VCS opposes Mukasey because he refuses to condemn the criminal waterboard torture advocated and started by President Bush.

We hope you enjoy your daily news, weekly updates, and our strong efforts by VCS on behalf of our veterans that delivers results. This Veterans Day, please support a group taking bold stands on issues important to you.

VCS needs to raise $10,000 during November to pay our monthly program expenses providing advocacy for veterans and civil liberties. Please donate to VCS today.

Sincerely,

Paul Sullivan
Executive Director
Veterans for Common Sens



uhc comment: Toll-free numbah of capitol hill switchboard --> 1-800-352-1897

[fed-up]

1. lines are busy at this time-Toll-free numbah of capitol hill switchboard --> 1-800-352-1897

I will try again later

[fed-up]

2. email addy and local CA numbers to call DiFi nt

email page here

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe



or call

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.StateOffices

San Francisco
One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

The following counties are served by the San Francisco office: Alameda, Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, Yuba.


Los Angeles
11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 915
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

The following counties are served by the Los Angeles office: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura.


San Diego
750 B Street, Suite 1030
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

The following counties are served by the San Diego office: Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego.


Fresno
2500 Tulare Street, Suite 4290
Fresno, CA 93721
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

The following counties are served by the Fresno office: Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne.

[fed-up]

3. D.C. and CA lines are still busy....nt