RIO GRANDE VALLEY VETS LISTEN UP!!!

Veterans in the Rio Grande Valley are one step closer to getting a full-fledged VA hospital for the valley. The Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley has been very active these past few months and are setting their work agenda for the next Texas Legislative session. On February 1, 2010, they met with State Senators Juan Jesus Hinojosa, Eddie Lucio, Jr. and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst in Edinburg, TX. The meeting revolved around the issue of how can the newly passed law created by Propostion 8 which was passsed overwhelmingly by Texas Voters in November of last year can be used to make the local VA hospital a reality. The new law allows for the state of Texas to provide monies, land and other resources for the construction and maintenance of veterans hospitals throughout the state. This proposition was proposed by the Valley delegation in Austin. The Veterans Affairs has been telling veterans that there is no money. That new full-fledged stand alone hospitals are not being constructed. U.S. Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana, the ranking Republican on the House Veterans Affairs Committee calls them "relics", a thing of the past. Yet, the VA continues to approved hospitals in other sections of the United States. He also challenged veterans to come up with land and then they would think about it.
The Veterans Alliance called for a meeting with all of the valley legislators to the Texas house. They met with them on February 22, 2010. Four of the current six were present, the other two send a representative. At that meeting the legislators asked the veterans what they needed. The discussion concerned the construction of a VA full-fledged hospital for the valley and how could Proposition 8 be used. The legislators wanted to know if there were committments from local enitites regarding land and funds. How much money was it going to take, how much land and where would it be located at? Representative Rene Oliveira who will head a committee on budget told the veterans that Texas was going through an economic crunch and that just about everybody was going to be asking for funds next year when the legislature meets. He told those present that it was not going to be an easy task. But for them not to give up and go forward with their plans. If we did not get it, they would present legisaltion to insure that the request would be first for consideration on the next session. All four, Rep. Veronica Gonzales, Aaron Pena, Jr. Armando Mando Martinez and Rene Oliveira committed themselves to work together to make a VA hospital for the valley a realty. Rep. Martinez inform veterans that he was looking at two different sources for funds and would file through them.
On March 13, 2010, the Veterans Alliance met with the Most Reverend Bishop Daniel Flores of the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. The meeting was to welcome the new Bishop who was recently selected by the Pope to take over the Diocese due to Bishop Pena's retirement. The Veterans also asked for the Catholic Diocese's continued support for a Veterans Affairs hospital for the valley. He agreed, but he was concerned if there were going to be problems once the site was selected. He felt that different localities might want it in their town. The Veterans Alliance informed him that the problem had been addressed at a meeting and they had agreed to pursue with Harlingen as the site because the VA has already invested monies there. Besides it is the home of the Regional Academic Health Center and the new proposed Texas Unitversity Health Science Center (medical school). He is ready to do what we think is needed and how he can express his support.
On April 7, 2010 the Veterans Alliance went before the city of Harlingen City Commssioners Court and were able to obtain a unanimous vote in favor of a VA hospital for the valley using Prop 8 in pasrtnership with the VA, and to commit land if needed. They also agreed to help by using their legislative agenda committee to help lobby in Washington DC and Austin. The veterans were elated on the results of the meeting. One of the commssioners even commented that another solution would be to exapnd the present expansion of the new surgical center to a full-fledged hospital.
Veterans are now working on ideas to present to all these persons that are willing to help. Meetings with city, legislators, and others are planned to keep the momentum.
Listen Up Veterans, we are getting closer to our goal of getting a much needed VA hospital to the valley, but all Veterans must step up and help. Either by becoming actively involved in the Alliance and/or continue attending public meetings.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel?