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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs is charged with |
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ensuring the health and well-being of the nation's veterans, but in |
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recent years, its failure to adequately perform its mission has |
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been the source of scandal; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2018, the United States Congress responded to |
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unconscionable delays and denials of care at VA facilities by |
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passing the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening |
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Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018, or VA MISSION Act, which |
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requires continued access to private medical care providers for |
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veterans if the VA does not offer the care or services the veteran |
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requires, if the VA does not operate a full-service medical |
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facility in the state in which the veteran resides, if the veteran |
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was eligible for care in the community under the 40-mile rule in the |
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Veterans Choice Program, or when the veteran meets certain other |
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requirements; and |
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WHEREAS, By expanding the reforms established in the Veterans |
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Choice Act, The VA MISSION Act improves veteran access to walk-in |
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care as long as that veteran has used VA health care services within |
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a 24-month time period prior to requesting walk-in services; by |
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increasing its contracts with community-based health care |
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providers, the VA has drastically improved the availability of |
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walk-in services; and |
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WHEREAS, Important changes to the VA Comprehensive |
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Assistance For Family Caregivers program include expanded |
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eligibility for veterans with service-connected medical issues; |
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previously, access was more limited and emphasized post-9/11 |
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military service; and |
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WHEREAS, The VA has tried to address the opioid epidemic |
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sweeping the nation by developing "Safe Opioid" procedures for VA |
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prescriptions; it now requires all its care providers, including |
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contractors, to use evidence-based guidelines for prescribing |
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opioid-based painkillers; in addition, it requires that community |
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health care providers have appropriate access to patient medical |
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history, encompassing all medication prescribed; and |
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WHEREAS, Our nation's veterans have made enormous sacrifices |
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to guarantee our freedoms, and although the nation can never fully |
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repay its debt of gratitude, it can and should ensure timely access |
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to the highest quality of medical care; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to enact |
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legislation to ensure that all veterans receive in a timely manner |
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the level of medical care that they have earned and that they so |
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richly deserve; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |