Pelican State News

LAKE CHARLES – On June 27, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) visited the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Jennings, Louisiana. He met veterans in their Great Gathering Room, taking questions and giving an update on his work to support them in Washington. He was also given a brief tour of the home. 

“Thanks to our veterans, we are free,” said Dr. Cassidy. “They deserve the best health care available to them. We will continue to improve clinics, provide private health care options, and help veterans and their families who have an issue with the VA.”

As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, Cassidy successfully advocated for veterans. Last October, he passed into law the Solid Start Act, which requires the VA to contact every veteran three times by phone in the first year after they leave active duty, to connect them with VA programs and benefits. Last March, he passed into law legislation to ensure there is quality podiatry care at the VA. Finally, he supported the PACT Act, which provides post-9/11 combat veterans with health care for toxic exposures.

Louisiana has five veterans homes run by the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. Retired Army Colonel Joey Strickland, the Louisiana Secretary of Veterans Affairs, thanked Cassidy for his visit.

“I sincerely appreciate the strong working relationship my staff and I have with Senator Cassidy and his team,” said Secretary Strickland. “As a department, we are grateful for his support, as well as the support from our entire congressional delegation, in serving Louisiana’s 283,000 veterans. By working together, we can ensure that any issues with the federal VA are addressed in Washington in a timely manner to best serve our veterans back home.” 

Original source can be found here