Today, Rep. Henry Cuellar announced that the veterans of South Texas will have increased local access to quality healthcare services.  As a result of Cuellar’s collaboration with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), local veterans’ organizations and his colleagues in Washington, D.C., the VA will be offering new healthcare options to the veterans of South Texas.

“As I met with veterans from my district, I was hearing two things: that they needed better access to healthcare, and they needed services closer to their homes.  The men and women who serve our country deserve the very best healthcare that we can give them.  I commend Tim Shea and his team at the VA for taking the steps to provide our veterans with quality local healthcare,” said Cuellar.

Currently, limited services are offered and many veterans have to travel to San Antonio for regular appointments as well as specialized services.  With the new and enhanced services offered by the VA at the local level, the veterans of South Texas will be able to avoid undue and prohibitive travel, and receive better healthcare in their community.

The veterans of South Texas have expressed the need for many services to be provided locally that they will now have access to, such as CT and MRI scans and physical therapy.  Other new services will include orthopedics, prosthetics, sleep disorder care and minor surgeries on a case-by-case basis.

These new services will generate approximately $1 million of revenue for the Laredo area.  Not only will the local veterans benefit, but the local economy will be bolstered as well.  For these improvements, solicitations on the street will happen by September of this year, with contracts being awarded by November 2007.

“As a Congressman, it is my job to help better the lives of our veterans.  It is a responsibility I take very seriously, and I am proud that we were able to facilitate these much-needed improvements to local healthcare options,” said Cuellar.

 “I will continue to work with the VA and veterans’ organizations to improve the status of local healthcare.  The health and well-being of the brave men and women who serve this country is very important to me.  I will keep looking for ways to bring improvements to the services provided to our veterans,” continued Cuellar.

Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip.
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