HR0413 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0413 LRB096 12970 DRJ 27050 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Currently only five Veterans Administration hospitals operate in Illinois, including the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville, the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, the Marion VA Medical Center in Marion, and the North Chicago VA Medical Center in North Chicago; and

WHEREAS, An additional 14 outpatient clinics serve Illinois veterans, including the Aurora Clinic, the Auburn Gresham and Lakeside clinics in Chicago, the Chicago Heights Clinic, the Elgin Clinic, the Evanston Clinic, the Freeport Clinic, the Oak Park Clinic in Hines, the Joliet Clinic, the LaSalle Clinic, the Manteno Clinic, the McHenry Clinic, the Oak Lawn Clinic, and the Rockford Clinic; and

WHEREAS, Only eight community-based outpatient clinics serve the remainder of Illinois veterans, including the Belleville Clinic, the Decatur VA Outpatient Clinic, the Effingham Community Based Outpatient Clinic, the Galesburg VA Clinic, the Mt. Vernon Community Based Outpatient Clinic, the Bob Michel VA Outpatient Clinic in Peoria, the Quincy VA Clinic, and the Springfield VA Outpatient Clinic; and

WHEREAS, Our nation's veterans deserve to expect that their post-service needs will be addressed, particularly when involving their health and welfare; and, moreover, in tough economic times it is especially important to avoid budget cuts affecting the quality of care our veterans receive; and

WHEREAS, While grateful for the medical facilities already located throughout Illinois, veterans of this State express concerns regarding the lack of a centrally located Veterans Administration hospital in the State; and the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs agrees, citing that no medical facility for our State's veterans in the central part of Illinois is a problem; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Congress to promulgate the establishment of a Central Illinois VA hospital in Peoria; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Honorable Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.