Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
RGV ValleyVets: Senate Bill 396 Full Service Medical Center for So...
RGV ValleyVets: Senate Bill 396 Full Service Medical Center for So...: "'Our service members should never have to come home from fighting a war only to fight to get the benefits and care that they deserve,' said ..."
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Meeting with Staff of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Local Office of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
June 1, 2011
Harlingen, TX
Valley Veterans (Valley Vets) met with Kevin Kane, Veterans & Military Assistant to Kay Bailey Hutchison via a tele-conference arranged by Hutchison’s local coordinator Julian Alvarez.
Kane told the Valley Vets that the Senator remains committed to getting a Full Medical Service Center of the south Texas area. He said that she stands firm on her commitment made at the Ribbon Cutting ceremonies for the new VA Ambulatory & Outpatient Surgical Center in Harlingen, TX on February 25. She supports and endorses Senate Bill 396 which calls for an expansion of the Surgical Center facility to a full service medical center.
Asked as when action will be taken by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee he stated that in the near future the Committee will have “legislative mark-up session” and at this time he does not know what will be on agenda. Santiago Jimmy Kummel asked if there was any way to find out and how often to the legislative mark-up sessions’ are held. Kane responded that he will contact the staff of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and find out what will be on the agenda. He is not sure, but he thinks that the Committee has these sessions every month. Kummel followed up by asking if it would be possible for the Senator to request the minute allowed by C SPAN. There is a program on C SPAN which allows for one minute participation by Congress members to discuss any issue they want. Kane said he would look into it. Ruben Cantu asked if he knew if letters being sent to Senators of the Veterans Affairs Committee were being received. He said that he had heard that letters were indeed being received but that their staff had been contacted by anyone receiving the letters.
Kane asked the veterans to provide him with information regarding any difficulties being experienced by veterans trying to get medical care at the VA. He wanted to know if there are veterans that are still going to San Antonio. His office will try and contact the office of Congressman Blake Farenthold and asked them it a meeting on HB 837 can be arranged so that valley vets can meet with the Congressman. He said that he will work on it from the Washington while veterans continue try to meet with him in the valley.
Joe Ibarra told him to relay a message to the Senator that veterans are losing patience and in a sense getting desperate because so far it has only being speeches and promises of a VA hospital but veterans have not seen one. Kane was told that veterans were looking toward the Senator as well as Senator John Cornyn to provide the leadership and ideas for veterans to help in trying to get SB 396 before a vote. Ibarra commented that a vote whether up or down would give veterans a much realistic idea.
The meeting ended in a positive note with both sides committing to helping with whatever needs to be done to get SB 396 moving. Kane promised more meeting in the near future since he was asked if it would be wise to send a delegation to DC. Veterans want to know if either Senator can get some appointments with key senators on the Vet/Aff Committee.
June 1, 2011
Harlingen, TX
Valley Veterans (Valley Vets) met with Kevin Kane, Veterans & Military Assistant to Kay Bailey Hutchison via a tele-conference arranged by Hutchison’s local coordinator Julian Alvarez.
Kane told the Valley Vets that the Senator remains committed to getting a Full Medical Service Center of the south Texas area. He said that she stands firm on her commitment made at the Ribbon Cutting ceremonies for the new VA Ambulatory & Outpatient Surgical Center in Harlingen, TX on February 25. She supports and endorses Senate Bill 396 which calls for an expansion of the Surgical Center facility to a full service medical center.
Asked as when action will be taken by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee he stated that in the near future the Committee will have “legislative mark-up session” and at this time he does not know what will be on agenda. Santiago Jimmy Kummel asked if there was any way to find out and how often to the legislative mark-up sessions’ are held. Kane responded that he will contact the staff of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and find out what will be on the agenda. He is not sure, but he thinks that the Committee has these sessions every month. Kummel followed up by asking if it would be possible for the Senator to request the minute allowed by C SPAN. There is a program on C SPAN which allows for one minute participation by Congress members to discuss any issue they want. Kane said he would look into it. Ruben Cantu asked if he knew if letters being sent to Senators of the Veterans Affairs Committee were being received. He said that he had heard that letters were indeed being received but that their staff had been contacted by anyone receiving the letters.
Kane asked the veterans to provide him with information regarding any difficulties being experienced by veterans trying to get medical care at the VA. He wanted to know if there are veterans that are still going to San Antonio. His office will try and contact the office of Congressman Blake Farenthold and asked them it a meeting on HB 837 can be arranged so that valley vets can meet with the Congressman. He said that he will work on it from the Washington while veterans continue try to meet with him in the valley.
Joe Ibarra told him to relay a message to the Senator that veterans are losing patience and in a sense getting desperate because so far it has only being speeches and promises of a VA hospital but veterans have not seen one. Kane was told that veterans were looking toward the Senator as well as Senator John Cornyn to provide the leadership and ideas for veterans to help in trying to get SB 396 before a vote. Ibarra commented that a vote whether up or down would give veterans a much realistic idea.
The meeting ended in a positive note with both sides committing to helping with whatever needs to be done to get SB 396 moving. Kane promised more meeting in the near future since he was asked if it would be wise to send a delegation to DC. Veterans want to know if either Senator can get some appointments with key senators on the Vet/Aff Committee.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Meeting with Sen. Hutchison's Key Staff
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