Secretary of Veterans Affairs to visit Bellingham

POLITICS
JON GAMBRELL
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

The secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will be in Bellingham Thursday as part of a campaign stop for a Republican candidate in the state’s 2nd Congressional District. R. James Nicholson will discuss issues facing veterans and take questions from the audience during the event at the American Legion Post No. 7, 1688 W. Bakerview Road.

Nicholson’s visit is coordinated by the campaign of former U.S. Navy Capt. Doug Roulstone, who is running against U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen this fall.

The event, beginning at 2:30 p.m., is open to the public.

lil' Capt. Doug is trying out the same theme as Mike McSafeCo... Try to take credit for the good works of others and ask voters to 'Elect a Republican to fix the things Republicans have broken'.
In this case it's Veterans health care.

"The Republican budget for Fiscal Year 2007 cuts veterans’ funding by $8.6 billion below what is needed to maintain current services over the next five years. Congress must provide high-quality, accessible health-care and support services to those who have fought for our country."

... FY2007 budget will raise health care costs for over 1 million U.S. veterans by increasing their co-payments for prescription drugs from $8 to $15 and imposing a new $250 annual enrollment fee. These fees will drive at least 200,000 veterans out of the veterans’ health care coverage they were promised.

"The budget also proposes to increase health care costs for military retirees enrolled in the TRICARE benefit program by raising enrollment fees and deductibles, and increasing pharmacy co-payments.

The (Republican) Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs isn't showing up in Whatcom County because over 75,000 veterans live in the 2nd Congressional District and badly need a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC).

If a VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic does get approved it will be thanks to the work of Congressman Rick Larsen (D).

Saturday, June 3, 2006
HEALTH
Veterans closer to getting clinic in area
Application must clear at least two more steps

MARY LANE GALLAGHER
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Veterans living in Whatcom County finally may be getting a medical clinic closer to home.
It's still a long way from happening, but the Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System has applied to build an outpatient clinic in the northern Puget Sound area.

It's not known where the clinic would be or when it would be built, and it still must go through at least two more steps in the approval process, said U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, who met Friday with regional VA officials. ... (article)