FOR RELEASE: July 27, 2001

HOUSE ACCEPTS EVANS AMENDMENT
MILITARY RETIREES’ HEALTH CARE OPTIONS PRESERVED

 WASHINGTON, DC – The Leadership of the House Appropriations Committee agreed to accept an amendment offered by Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL) which preserves the option for military retirees to obtain their medical care from either the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or medical programs provided by the Department of Defense.  The Evans amendment preserves the current option of military retirees to obtain medical care from VA and DoD by prohibiting the VA from implementing a proposal by President Bush to limit the medical care options of military retirees. 

A Bush budget recommendation made earlier this year sought to require military retirees to select either VA or DoD as their health care provider.  Under current law military retirees are eligible to obtain medical care from VA and DoD.  There are currently about 700,000 military retirees enrolled in both systems.  Evans said he believed military retirees had earned the right to receive needed medical care services in both health care systems. 

Evans noted he had sent letters earlier this month to DoD Secretary Rumsfeld and VA Secretary Principi concerning the Bush proposal to force military retirees to make an irrevocable choice between VA and DoD as their health care provider.  Evans called on the Administration officials to take no action to implement the budget proposal until its impact could be better assessed.  Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, joined with Evans in calling on DoD Secretary Rumsfeld and VA Secretary Principi to take no action to implement the Bush proposal.

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