U.S.
House Passes VA Chiropractic Employment Bill
from Jon Hymes: ACA VP of Government Relations
Date:7/22/03
As you know, among ACA's top legislative priorities this year has been to
encourage introduction and passage of legislation to overcome the bureaucratic
resistance that has delayed implementation of the chiropractic care benefits
Congress extended to America's veterans in 1999 and reaffirmed in 2001.
I am pleased to report that yesterday, the U.S House of Representatives passed,
by voice vote, the Veterans Health Care Improvement Act (HR 2357), legislation
that includes the provisions of Rep. Jerry Moran's (R-KS) bill to provide
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with the authority to hire and employ
Doctors of Chiropractic. The Moran bill was designed to eliminate remaining
bureaucratic obstacles and speed decision-making on establishment of chiropractic
clinical care positions within the VA. The ACA and the Association of Chiropractic
Colleges (ACC) strongly supported the Moran bill and its inclusion in HR 2357,
and worked closely in recent months with Rep. Moran, Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT),
the Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health, and Rep. Chris
Smith (R-NJ), the Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee to build support
for the legislation. Other key supporters include Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL),
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX),
Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH) and Rep. John Larson (D-CT).
According to an article on yesterday's action in the House appearing in CQ
Today, a Capitol Hill publication, "A bi-partisan group of legislators
has long pushed for chiropractic care at VA facilities, arguing that the treatment
could prove especially therapeutic for the types of injuries sustained in
combat...[HR 2357] would instruct the VA to develop treatment plans, hire
chiropractors and set pay scales for them."
HR 2357 now moves to the U.S. Senate. Earlier this month, the ACA and the
ACC lobbying teams met with Senator Arlen Specter, the Chairman of the Senate
Veterans Affairs Committee, to brief him on the need for prompt consideration
of the chiropractic provisions of HR 2357. Senator Specter expressed his strong
interest in the legislation and in taking steps to ensure that America's former
servicemen and women will soon get the chiropractic benefits they need and
deserve.
The text of HR 2357, which also includes a White House-supported provision
to extend veterans benefits to Filipino World War II veterans residing in
the U.S, can be viewed on THOMAS, the Library of Congress's online information
site: http://thomas.loc.gov.
Below are the remarks delivered yesterday on the floor of the U.S. House of
Representatives by Rep. Simmons, Rep. Davis and Rep. Moran on HR 2357:
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2357 , as amended, the Veterans
Health Care Improvement Act of 2003. H.R. 2357 would provide two important
new health services to veterans. First, the bill would clearly establish the
authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to appoint chiropractors within
its health care system, allowing veterans to receive this care in VA facilities.
Currently, veterans are not receiving this specialty care from VA because
the VA has decided that chiropractic care is not necessary and duplicates
services already provided by physicians, nurses, and physical therapists.
For nearly 3 years, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has been working to
include chiropractic care as part of the VA's health care system. Through
provisions in the Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act, the Department
of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001, the VA has
been required to establish a policy for the role of chiropractic care for
veterans and to provide chiropractic care and services for veterans in its
health care system. By law, VA has also been required to establish a Chiropractic
Advisory Committee within the Department.
Although some progress has been made by the Advisory Committee on chiropractic
care, veterans are dissatisfied with the VA's reluctance to fulfill its obligations
under law. The gentleman from Kansas (Mr. MORAN), our former Health Subcommittee
chairman, has spearheaded this important effort for our veterans, and I thank
him for his leadership on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, our bill would also authorize VA to provide health care services
to Filipino World War II veterans who legally reside in the United States.
During World War II, the Commonwealth of the Philippines army was called to
serve with the U.S. Armed Forces. Tens of thousands of Filipino soldiers served
alongside U.S. soldiers during World War II, exhibiting great courage and
determination at the epic battles of Bataan and Corregidor and contributing
to the successful outcome of the war.
After the Philippines became an independent Nation, Congress passed the Rescission
Act of 1946, reducing or eliminating many of the benefits that Filipino veterans
had been eligible for based on service in the Commonwealth army. Today, almost
60 years later, 60,000 World War II Filipino veterans are alive and continue
to seek restoration of these benefits. Approximately 14,000 Filipino veterans
in the U.S. would be eligible for the VA health care services this bill would
authorize.
Today, Commonwealth army veterans and new Philippine Scouts residing in United
States are only eligible for VA health care services if they are in receipt
of a disability compensation. This legislation before us today would broaden
eligibility for VA health care for all Filipino veterans residing in the United
States. Commonwealth army veterans and new Philippine Scouts living in the
United States would be subject to the same eligibility and means test requirements
as American veterans.
This bill would honor our commitment to those veterans by covering hospital,
nursing home, and medical care services.
I want to commend the gentleman from New Jersey, my chairman, the chairman
of the full Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for his leadership in bringing
this legislation forward; and I also commend the gentleman from California
(Mr. FILNER) who has championed the cause of Filipino veterans for years and
is due a great deal of credit for the legislation we put before the House
today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr.
SIMMONS) today and rise in strong support of H.R. 2357 . First, I would also
like to recognize the commitment of the gentleman from California (Mr. FILNER),
a long-time member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and my San Diego
colleague, to the cause of Filipino veterans.
Mr. Speaker, the Filipino soldiers recruited to fight in the Pacific during
the Second World War served proudly under General MacArthur and fought courageously
against the enemies of the United States. Because their contributions were
crucial to our victory, these brave soldiers thought that when the war was
won, they would receive the same recognition as American soldiers fighting
by their side.
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, in 1946, Congress passed an act that rescinded
the benefits it had granted to thousands of Filipino veterans, and this was
wrong. This was wrong. And passing H.R. 2357 today will help correct this
injustice.
H.R. 2357 also contains a provision to allow the VA to hire chiropractors.
Mr. Speaker, it is time that the VA recognized the value chiropractors can
add as part of a health care service continuum. Chiropractors can help promote
and maintain wellness rather than simply treating illness. Millions of Americans
rely on their services to manage pain and treat a broad range of conditions.
I am pleased to stand up on these bills today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman
from Kansas (Mr. MORAN), formerly the chairman of the Health Subcommittee
of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, currently serving as vice chairman
of that subcommittee and a tireless advocate for chiropractic care for our
veterans.
Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr.
SIMMONS) for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today as provisions of H.R. 2414, the
Department of Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Employment Act, a bill that I
introduced earlier this year, are included in this bill now before the House.
I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), chairman of the full committee,
as well as the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. SIMMONS), my predecessor as
the chairman of the Health Subcommittee for their leadership and assistance
in advancing this measure to the House floor today.
Mr. Speaker, these provisions will prompt the Department of Veterans Affairs
to make chiropractic care available to America's veterans in VA facilities
by granting specific employment authority in VA for chiropractic care as clinicians
under title 38 of the United States Code.
Millions of Americans use the services of doctors of chiropractic. However,
veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system are unable to receive
this specialty care. Numerous studies have demonstrated that chiropractic
care can and is an effective therapy.
Mr. Speaker, Congress has acted twice before on chiropractic care in the VA
health care system, but our intent has not yet been implemented by the Department
of Veterans Affairs. Signed into law in 1999, section 303 of Public Law 106-117
required the VA Under Secretary for Health to establish a defined policy regarding
the role of chiropractic care for veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health
Administration. Almost a year later, the VA established what it deemed to
be a ``policy'' on chiropractic care. However, the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs found the VA's response to be inadequate.
As a result, in 2001, 2 years later, Congress enacted section 204 of Public
Law 107-135. This legislation required the Secretary of VA to create a program
of chiropractic care and services for veterans who are enrolled in the VA
health care system and specified that each of the VA's health care networks
put at least one program in place. This law also required the establishment
of a Chiropractic Advisory Committee within the Department and charged the
committee to provide assistance to the Secretary in developing and implementing
the chiropractic health care program.
While some progress has been made by the VA's Advisory Committee, the Department
is now contending that formal organizational, qualification, and classification
studies are needed due to the VA's lack of a specified employment authority
in title 38 of the United States Code. Such an undertaking by the VA would
probably require extensive use of specialized resources and more bureaucracy
on the part of the Central Office, the Advisory Committee, the Office of Personnel
Management, as well as outside consultants. We can remedy this situation with
the bill before the House today to speed the VA's decision-making on establishing
chiropractic clinical care positions within the Department.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Our bill will
provide a specialty care program for our Nation's veterans, who are most deserving
of this benefit.
I again thank the chairman for his leadership.