Read first time 01/26/2004.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, There are 670,000 veterans who have chosen to call the great State of Washington home; and
     WHEREAS, These citizens are deserving of a world class health care system to deal with injuries and diseases resulting from their selfless service to our country; and
     WHEREAS, Washington State has significantly fewer veterans being served by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (U.S. DVA) than other states in the nation, and in 2002 was ranked second to the last in the number of veterans receiving health care through the U.S. DVA; and
     WHEREAS, Veterans in Washington State are being placed on waiting lists by the U.S. DVA in order to receive health care and pharmacy services; and
     WHEREAS, The U.S. DVA national waiting list data from July 2002 through September 2003 indicates the Veterans' Integrated Service Network 20, which includes Washington State, has the largest number of veterans waiting for nonemergent clinic visits; and
     WHEREAS, An increasing number of Washington State veterans who formerly relied on alternate health care providers are finding themselves without health care and are turning to the U.S. DVA for their health care for the first time; and
     WHEREAS, The U.S. DVA Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) initiative has not fully considered the current and future need for veterans' health care services across the Veterans' Integrated Service Network; and
     WHEREAS, It is imperative that Washington State receive adequate federal resources to care for the increasing number of veterans who will rely on the U.S. DVA for health care services;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the President will ensure the U.S. DVA health care system in Washington State will be adequate to serve the current and future demands of our state's veterans. Your Memorialists further pray that Congress and the President affirm the debt owed these veterans and provide funding for those services deemed necessary.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.