PRINTER'S NO. 1103
No. 123 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY BOSCOLA, JULY 15, 2003
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
JULY 15, 2003
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the President and the Congress of the United
2 States to build a Community Based Outpatient Clinic in the
3 Borough of Bangor, Northampton County, for veterans medical
4 services to provide timely, high-quality service to veterans
5 of the United States military services.
6 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's veterans have faithfully and
7 honorably served this nation and the Commonwealth of
8 Pennsylvania in times of peace and in times of war; and
9 WHEREAS, There are approximately 1.2 million veterans of the
10 United States armed services living in the Commonwealth of
11 Pennsylvania today; and
12 WHEREAS, More than 500,000 of these veterans are 65 years of
13 age or older; and
14 WHEREAS, Many of these veterans are combat veterans who
15 served in armed conflicts in the 20th and 21st centuries to
16 protect our nation and our freedom; and
17 WHEREAS, By virtue of the honorable service they have
18 provided, veterans are entitled to certain benefits; and
19 WHEREAS, Medical and rehabilitative services and, in
1 particular, the pharmacy benefits management program are
2 important to the aging veteran population in the Commonwealth of
3 Pennsylvania; and
4 WHEREAS, These benefits are provided by the United States
5 Department of Veterans Affairs through a network of Veterans
6 Health Administration centers, outpatient clinics, community-
7 based outpatient clinics and veterans centers; and
8 WHEREAS, The closest community-based outpatient clinic for
9 those veterans living in the Slate Belt served 9,658 veterans in
10 2002, causing significant delay for veterans in that region; and
11 WHEREAS, Waiting lists will lengthen and the level of service
12 will decrease unless funding for these services in the
13 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania increases to a level that matches
14 veterans needs; therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
16 memorialize the President and Congress to build a Community
17 Based Outpatient Clinic in the Borough of Bangor, Northampton
18 County, for veterans medical services to provide timely, high-
19 quality service to veterans of the United States military
20 services; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
22 the President of the United States, to the presiding officers of
23 each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
24 Pennsylvania.
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