“Franken vouches for veterans”
Posted in News Clips on August 11th, 2008
Al talked to veterans in Rochester and St. Cloud this week about their experiences after coming home, and announced proposals to support our vets during a rally in Owatonna.
In Rochester, Al and Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes (herself a veteran) met with veterans at the American Legion Post No. 92. The Rochester Post-Bulletin wrote that Al’s plan would reduce the complexity of the VA eligibility system.
Al Franken told a roundtable of Rochester military veterans on Thursday that he wants to simplify how health care is provided through the Veterans Administration system.
His solution: If you’ve served in active duty or been activated through the National Guard or reserves, then you should be guaranteed health care — for life.
…
Currently, the VA eligibility system is a patchwork of many levels of possible medical coverage. Eligibility is determined by a complex formula that factors in level of disability and income, and whether injuries were service-connected. Franken’s proposal would reduce the complexity.
At Owatonna, Al spoke at a rally in Central Park the day after a Coleman event in Owatonna – and we were happy to note that according to the Owatonna People’s Press, the Franken rally “attract[ed] more than 100 people….a day after Coleman spoke to about 50 people at Custom Coffee.”
More from the Owatonna People’s Press, which described the event with the headline “Franken vouches for veterans”:
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken said Thursday that the country and the state have to change.
His solution: When President Bush leaves the White House in Jan. 2009, let him take U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman with him.
“This is our time,” Franken said. “We have a progressive majority in this country. We know what we want and we know how to get it.”
In St. Cloud, Al spoke with a young Navy vet about his experiences returning home after a tour of duty.
From the St. Cloud Times:
Josh John, a St. Cloud resident who said he served in the Navy from 2000-04, had Franken to himself for an hour as he described difficulties he faced returning from his tour of duty and the help he received from his Veterans Services Office and the St. Cloud VA Medical Center.
…
Franken said he hopes to serve on the same Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, if elected, on which the late Sen. Paul Wellstone served.
“Paul was always someone concerned about vets, especially homeless vets –the men and women who fell through the cracks,” he said. “I want to continue that.”
Franken said he would work to guarantee every veteran health care for life by making full VA health care funding an untouchable entitlement in the budget, increasing funding for mental health treatment for veterans, and increasing pay and benefits for military personnel and families.
…
Franken also attacked Coleman, saying he had twice voted for budgets that cut VA funding, three times against making full VA health care funding a requirement, and 18 times against Democratic amendments to increase funding for veterans.
“It’s only since 2006 that Coleman’s voted for veterans,” he said. “Before that, he voted time and time again with the Bush administration and against veterans.”
