Madam Speaker, today I am introducing a bill, H.R. 6127, the Extension of Health Care Eligibility for Veterans who Served at Qarmat Ali Act, to extend the VA healthcare enrollment period for certain…
Madam Speaker, today I am introducing a bill, H.R. 6127, the Extension of Health Care Eligibility for Veterans who Served at Qarmat Ali Act, to extend the VA healthcare enrollment period for certain veterans who served in the Qarmat Ali region of Iraq.
Soon after the conflict in Iraq began in 2003, Army National Guard units from my home state of Indiana as well as units from Oregon, West Virginia, and South Carolina and National Guardsmen mobilized as individual augmentees from across the nation were called up and tasked with guarding the Qarmat Ali water treatment facility.
For 6 months--from April to September--these National Guardsmen from across the nation bravely guarded the plant, located just outside Basra. Their mission was to secure the facility and provide protective services for the independent contractors who were working throughout the region to restore Iraqi oil production.
Recently, they have been notified of their possible exposure to a toxic chemical known as sodium dichromate and are being asked to come forward, be evaluated, and enroll in VA's Gulf War Registry. Health problems associated with such exposure include respiratory issues, skin lesions, and burns. Contact may cause increased rates of lung cancer and other ear, nose, throat, and skin disorders.
The men and women of these National Guard units completed their mission--and served our country--well. It was hard for me to discover that despite their safe return, their service may continue to put them at risk. In particular, I am very sensitive to the Hoosiers who may have been injured.
Under current law, combat veterans who served on active duty in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War or in combat against a hostile force during a period of ``hostilities'' after November 11, 1998 are eligible to enroll in the VA health care system, notwithstanding sufficient evidence of service- connection, for five years following separation from service.
This includes members of the National Guard and Reserve who were activated and served in combat support or direct operations as long as they meet certain requirements.
When Congress established the 5 year period of open enrollment for VA health care it was with the understanding that some wounds of war may not manifest themselves until years after a veteran leaves military duty.
But despite our best intentions, we are finding that some veterans are faced with combat-related health problems that were not apparent even 5 years after the veteran re-entered civilian life. This creates a gap in services that unfairly penalizes these men and women for conditions out of their control.
I commend the VA for their efforts to contact these veterans and create the Qarmat Ali Registry to aggressively track and treat veterans exposed to this toxic chemical as part of the Gulf War Registry.
However, it is also important for them to have immediate access to VA's high quality health care system. The use of VA health care will help to identify potential medical conditions, and provide counseling, immunizations, and medications to prevent illness. Appropriate preventative care can substantially improve health outcomes and the quality of life for our honored heroes.
But, some of the Qarmat Ali veterans who separated from service following their deployment in 2003 may no longer be eligible to enroll in VA health care under the 5-year open enrollment period. As a result, they must first file a claim and seek a service-connected disability rating before enrolling in the VA health care system and gaining access to the comprehensive medical care VA provides.
Unfortunately, the claims process can be both time-consuming and daunting. It is unacceptable that the Qarmat Ali veterans, already subjected to harmful toxins during service to our country, must now await the outcome of a lengthy and sometimes adversarial claims processing system before they can enroll in VA health care.
The VA was established expressly to care for veterans like these who willingly left their homes, families, and lives to protect and defend our nation and may find themselves sick or injured as a result of such selflessness.
H.R. 6127 would correct this unintended gap in services by extending the enrollment eligibility period for Qarmat Ali veterans by 5 years from the date of notification. This would allow them to immediately begin receiving services at VA medical facilities for any and all of their health care needs.
Breaking down barriers to needed care is the very least we, as a grateful nation, can do for the men and women who fight for our freedoms, in Qarmat Ali and around the world.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6127 and these brave American heroes.
