Contact:
Rep. Judy Morrison
785/296-7646

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2007

REPRESENTATIVE MORRISON WORKING TO HELP INJURED SOLDIERS 

Topeka – Kansas House of Representative Judy Morrison (R-Shawnee) announced today she and State Senator Peggy Palmer (R-Augusta) are reaching out to the nearly 1,700 elected women nationwide at the request of Former U.S. Senator Bob Dole to learn the condition of VA facilities in their areas.

“We have spoke with Senator Dole about the treatment of our young men and women as they transition between active deployments with the military to becoming veterans,” explained Rep. Morrison.  “He wants a report within 30 days on what we and other elected leaders find in our local VA and Military medical facilities.”

The National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) asked Morrison and Palmer to take the lead nationwide after the scandal at Walter Reed broke.  They visited Walter Reed and scheduled a conference call with Dole to discuss the Administration’s plan.  President Bush recently appointed Dole to serve as Co-Chair of the President’s commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors.

“It is important that we as legislators understand there is a difference between Department of Defense facilities like Walter Reed and Veterans Affairs facilities like the ones we have in Topeka and Wichita and that we are directing both concerns and praise to the appropriate agencies on a hospital by hospital basis,” said Morrison.  “We all want the best for our soldiers and our veterans.”

Through NFWL, Morrison and Palmer also connected with Secretary Jim Nicholson, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, who is the Chair of President Bush’s Interagency Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes.  They requested Nicholson also send a letter to all NFWL women state legislators, asking them to visit their local VA facilities and report back so Dole has a completely accurate picture.

“We are finding the VW hospitals really do have expertise in many areas of care that private facilities do not have, in particular with older veterans suffering from specific war-related injuries and illness,” stated Rep. Morrison.  “I am confident that the VA facilities will develop this same expertise in caring for our soldiers returning from Iraq with different injuries.”

Morrison, Chair-Elect of NFWL, was in Washington, DC for leadership meetings earlier this month and visited with service members currently at Walter Reed.  This visit promoted the call to Senator Dole.

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About the National Foundation For Women legislators, Inc. (NFWL): Through annual educational and networking events, the National Foundation for Women Legislators supports women legislators from all levels of governance.  As a non-profit, non-partisan organization, NFWL does not take ideological positions on public policy issues, but rater serves as a forum for women legislators to be empowered through information and experience.