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A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO ENSURE

FULL MANDATORY FUNDING FOR VETERANS' HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND

TO RECOGNIZE THE HEALTH CARE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES

TO THE COUNTRY'S VETERANS.

WHEREAS, the mission and motto of the United States

department of veterans affairs is "to care for him who has

borne the battle, and for his widow and orphan"; and

WHEREAS, President George Washington stated, "The

willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in

any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly

proportionate to how they perceive the veterans of earlier

wars were treated and appreciated by their country"; and

WHEREAS, whenever the United States military has been

called upon to send forces into harm's way, all who become

soldiers, our sons and daughters alike, have proudly answered

the call; and

WHEREAS, we, as citizens of the United States, have

promised our troops, through military enlistment contracts,

comprehensive, quality health care for those veterans

honorably discharged from the United States armed forces,

past, present and future; and

WHEREAS, while the legislators and legislative bodies of

our government at all levels have recognized the importance of

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supporting those who serve the United States, legislation

itself has fallen short of meeting the health care needs of

our veterans; and the current discretionary funding mechanisms

for veterans' health care are beset by numerous flaws,

preventing many veterans from receiving the quality health

care they earned and deserve; and

WHEREAS, on March 16, 2006, the United States senate

voted against adopting mandatory funding for veterans' health

care services that would have ensured mandatory funding for

veterans' health care needs; and

WHEREAS, a government accountability office report

issued in 2005 highlighted the lack of resources experienced

by the veterans health administration and its understaffed

workforce as they attempt to process an increasing backlog of

veterans' claims; and

WHEREAS, a former department of veterans affairs

secretary, Anthony Principi, has publicly stated that the

department of veterans affairs has been struggling to provide

promised health care services to the rapidly rising number of

veterans requiring health care services;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico congressional

delegation be urged to ensure that health care obligations for

veterans be recognized; that the New Mexico congressional

delegation ensure that legislation be introduced into the

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United States house of representatives and the United States

senate proposing full funding for veterans' health care; and

that legislation ensuring full mandatory funding for veterans'

health care services be approved by both houses of congress

and sent to the president for signing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that full mandatory funding of

veterans' services be supported and that the great sacrifice

made for all Americans by those who enter the armed services

of the United States be recognized; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the members of the New Mexico congressional

delegation, the president of the United States and the

secretary of the United States department of veterans affairs.