U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lisbon, an outspoken advocate for veterans, will now have a new place to voice his concerns on the Committee on Veterans Affairs, even though he is already serving on one of the four exclusive House committees.
Strickland was permitted to join the veterans committee earlier this month, despite being on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. That committee, along with Ways and Means, Appropriations and Rules, is desirable and competitive and requires the most work, usually too much to serve on others, Strickland said.
Strickland asked for and was granted a special wavier by the Democratic leadership because he actively supported veterans-- issues even before he was named to the committee, said Mary Ellen McCarthy, Democratic staff director for the benefits subcommittee of the veterans committee.
"I wanted on because so many negative things are happening to veterans in terms of the budget and health care," Strickland said. "I wanted a forum to be able to be an advocate and oppose some of the really outrageous polices of the (Bush) administration."
Strickland said he is especially concerned with health care problems veterans are facing. In January, Strickland wrote a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi, challenging what he called a gag order on Veterans Affairs health providers forbidding them from informing veterans about the benefits they are entitled.
Strickland said he wants veterans" prescription drug co-payments, which are currently at $7 and proposed to rise to $15 in the next budget -- predetermined fees paid for by health care benefits -- to return to their previous $2 level.
Strickland said he also plans to fight President Bush's proposal to limit health care benefits for veterans. Strickland said Bush's plan would charge $250 annual enrollment fee for veterans who make $24,000 or more, eliminate Veterans Affairs health care for veterans earning $26,000 or more and prevent veterans from claiming both pension and disability benefits.
Strickland said the perception that Republicans care more about veterans is wrong.
"The president talks the talk but he doesn't walk the walk," Strickland said. "He likes to say the words but when it comes to paying for (Veterans Affairs) health care, he's absolutely acting in a way that's shameless."
Retired veteran Dean Hire said Strickland was a good choice and would represent veterans well. He said Strickland would work to get money for veterans and has been very responsive to their needs.
"He's always available," Hire said. "We've had people write to him and they got action."
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Ted Strickland
