My Harlingen News
Politics, Public Safety, Activism
Posted on Monday, April 4th, 2011
By: Arturo (Treto) Garza
Valley Veterans will be presenting testimony before the State House Defense and Veterans Committee, chaired by State Rep. Joseph Pickett on Thursday April 7, 2011 in Austin. They will speak on behalf of House Bill 55 submitted by Armando Mando Martinez (D-40) which was submitted in August 4, 2010. The bill asks that the Texas Enterprise Fund be used for veterans hospitals in Texas. The Texas Enterprise Fund is administered by the Texas Veterans Land Board. Jerry Patterson is the Commissioner in charge. He told veterans at a meeting in October 2010 in McAllen that he would need legislative action that would allow him to use funds that veterans were requesting. Veterans are seeking financial assistance from Texas to help purchase ancillary items that are needed at the Harlingen facility to convert the Clinic into a Full Service Medical Center. It would require a joint effort of the State and the federal government working together to establish a Full Service Medical Center as proposed.
Veterans have met with Rep. Martinez on several occasions and he agreed to submit the bill. Veterans are now trying to move it out of committee and onto the full house. At this time, the Senate does not have a sister bill. If HB 55 passes in Committee veterans will seek their state Senators to submit one. In the past veterans supported Proposition 8 which would allow the State to provide monies for construction and maintenance of veteran’s hospitals. The legislation passed but no monies were authorized for its development. But now veterans have identified a funding source.
Local veterans are also working at the national level trying to get two bills out of Veterans Affairs Committees in each house. SB 396 submitted by Senator Cornyn and HB 837 submitted by Congressman Ruben Hinojosa. A letter writing campaign has been launched in that effort code named Operation 10.10.10.
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