,,iii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #dib  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november 
#aj1 #bjbe ,mrs4 ,blackburn 7for        
herself1 ,mr4 ,cramer1 ,mr4 ,tillis1    
,mr4 ,wicker1 and ,mr4 ,moran7 submitted
 the following resolution2 which was    
referred to the ,committee on ,veterans'
 ,affairs  ,,resolution  ,recognizing   
community care as an essential tool for 
meeting the health care needs of the    
veterans of the ,united ,states4        
,whereas1 #aj years ago1 the ,department
 of ,veterans ,affairs 7referred to in  
this preamble as the ,,va7 experienced a
 nationwide crisis regarding the ability
 to provide access to care that         
highlighted the urgent need for timely1 
high-quality services for veterans2     
,whereas ,congress responded with the   
bipartisan passage of the ,,va ,,mission
 ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ahb2  
#acb ,stat4 #acic71 which expanded      
opportunities for veterans to receive   
care in their communities when the ,,va 

could not meet their needs2 ,whereas    
community care has since proven to be a 
vital complement to the ,,va health care
 system1 offering veterans greater      
convenience1 accessibility1 and choice1 
particularly for those in rural areas1  
those facing transportation or mobility 
challenges1 and those requiring         
specialized treatment2 ,whereas ,,va    
data demonstrate that community care is 
cost-effective and also strengthens     
veteran trust in the ,,va as an         
institution2 ,whereas veterans1 their   
families1 and caregivers have           
consistently affirmed that community    
care provides life-saving access to     
oncology1 mental health1 emergency1 pain
 management1 and other essential        
services2 and ,whereas ,congress has    
consistently provided the ,,va with     
record levels of funding to support both
 direct care and community care1        
ensuring that resource constraints      
should never justify limiting veterans' 
access to needed treatment3 ,now1       

therefore1 be it  ,that the ,senate--   
7#a7 recognizes community care as an    
essential tool for meeting the health   
care needs of the veterans of the       
,united ,states2  7#b7 affirms that     
community care complements1 rather than 
threatens1 the mission of the           
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
7referred to in this resolution as the  
,,va72  7#c7 urges the ,,va to implement
 the ,,va ,,mission ,act of #bjah       
7,public ,law #aae-ahb2 #acb ,stat4     
#acic7 in both letter and spirit1       
ensuring veterans have timely access to 
community providers when the ,,va cannot
 meet their needs2 and  7#d7 reaffirms  
the commitment of the ,senate to        
ensuring that every veteran has timely  
access to high-quality1 affordable1 and 
veteran-centered care1 whether provided 
in ,,va facilities or in the community4