Apparently, veterans are low priority

The elections are over, back to business with Congress as they have many unsettled issues in need of attention.

The VA scandal is still a priority for Congress to settle. Although the VA has made some progress toward veterans care and benefits improvements, it is not yet 100 percent thought out. Our Congress needs transparency in bipartisanship and to be held accountable.

A quote by Theodore Roosevelt: “A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the Country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.” We veterans need a square deal for survival and better quality of life; is it too much to ask for? Many thousands of veterans are sick with PTSD and severe illnesses with little to no resolve.

The most critical of our veterans groups is the Vietnam war veteran. Tens of thousands continue to combat illnesses associated with the herbicide Agent Orange. The group of veterans mostly ignored by the VA are those who served at sea in that war, known as Blue Water Navy; many are infected with Agent Orange.

House Bill HR-543 is still active in Congress with over 55 percent congressional support, but it is stalled in the Veterans Affairs Committee. Financial support for this bill amounts to approximately $7 billion to $9 billion spread out over 7 to 10 years, after which there will be none of us left.

We give hundreds of billions to foreign countries, some of which hate us, yet not a dime to our veterans. What is wrong with this picture? It goes to show veterans are low priority.

Americans, call your members of Congress; demand they pass HR-543.

John J. Bury,

US Navy retired

Vietnam veteran

Media, Pa.