Akaka, Filner, IAVA Hold Press Conference Today to Introduce Crucial Legislation to Advance Fund VA Healthcare Budget

New Veterans From Across the Country Mobilized this Week and Congress Listened

Washington D.C. – Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonprofit group for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, concludes its Storm the Hill campaign with tremendous results. Over the past week, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans from across the country met with over one hundred lawmakers advocating on behalf of advance funding for veterans’ healthcare. Today, Senator Daniel Akaka and Congressman Bob Filner, the chairmen of the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees, will introduce bipartisan legislation to provide advance appropriations for the VA, solidifying an extraordinary week of advocacy for IAVA.

Today, Senator Akaka and Congressman Filner will be joined by IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff and Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to announce the introduction of this new legislation at 2pm in Russell Building, Room 418 (the Senate VA Committee hearing room). This announcement is OPEN to the media.

“In these tough fiscal times, Congress is not only listening to Wall Street CEOs, they are listening to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Today, they are taking action. The VA budget has been passed late 19 of the last 22 years forcing the largest health care provider in the nation to ration care. Finally, Congress is getting ahead of the curve and sufficiently planning the VA healthcare budget so that veterans are not left waiting,” said IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff.

Dozens of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans from across the country will join Akaka, Filner, and Rieckhoff for this important announcement.

Rieckhoff added, “On behalf of the new generation of veterans, I thank Senator Akaka and Congressman Filner for their leadership on this vital issue. With the announcement of rising suicide rates, action has never been urgent. We are proud to stand with you today and veterans of all generations, including the entire Military Coalition, and we look forward to making this legislation a reality.”

In addition to supporting advance funding this week, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans advocated for the prioritization of veterans and their families in the new stimulus package, ensuring correct implementation of the historic new GI Bill, and better screening for invisible injuries such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

To see IAVA’s full 2009 Legislative Agenda please visit: http://iava.org/iava-in-washington/legislative-agenda.

To track and view updates from Iraq and Afghanistan veterans meeting with legislators on Capitol Hill, visit http://www.stormthehill.org.

To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff or Iraq and Afghanistan veterans taking part in IAVA’s Storm the Hill campaign, contact Chrissy Stevens at (917) 836-1483 or Chrissy@iava.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 125,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide.  Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.