Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst

EDINBURG, Jan. 30 - Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will meet with Rio Grande Valley veterans’ leaders in Edinburg on Monday to discuss ways of improving access to health care for veterans in the region.

The private meeting, which has been set up by state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, will take place at the Hidalgo County Courthouse and will focus on how the legislature can best implement Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that Texas voters approved last November.

“Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst is a veteran himself. He understands the needs of the veterans. He understands the problems we have in South Texas in terms of having to travel to San Antonio for care. He understands that we have to provide access to health care for all veterans,” Hinojosa told the Guardian, in an exclusive interview about Dewhurst’s visit.

Among the veterans leaders that will meet with Dewhurst and Hinojosa are Homer Gallegos, co-chair of the Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley, and Emilio de los Santos, Hidalgo County’s veterans’ affairs director. The meeting is slated for 1.30 p.m. in the offices of Hidalgo County Judge Rene Ramirez.

Before the passage of Proposition 8 on Nov. 3, the building and maintaining of VA hospitals was solely the responsibility of the federal government. Proposition 8 allows the state of Texas to contribute money, property and other resources to establish, maintain and operate veterans’ hospitals.

Veterans groups in the Valley have fought manfully for a VA hospital in their region for decades but the VA has always resisted, claiming that there are insufficient veterans to warrant a dedicated hospital. Instead, the VA is building a “super clinic” in Harlingen that has many of the features of a VA hospital but no inpatient beds.

The VA claims the $40 million ambulatory and outpatient facility will eliminate the need for about 95 percent of the four-hour one-way trips Valley veterans enrolled for VA care currently make to the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio. Veterans groups in the Valley dispute that 95 percent of the visits to Audie Murphy will be eliminated.

Proposition 8 was passed by an overwhelming majority of Texas voters on Nov. 3. Across the state, the 74.82 percent of voters said “yes” and 25.17 percent said “no.” In the Rio Grande Valley, where groups like America’s Last Patrol and the Veterans Alliance of the Rio Grande Valley mounted a strong campaign in favor of the constitutional amendment, the majorities were even higher.

In Cameron County, 80.28 percent voted in favor. In Hidalgo County, 80.74 percent voted in favor. In Starr County, 92.97 voted in favor and in Willacy County, 84.66 voted in favor.

As a result of the passage of the Proposition 8, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has met with Veterans Land Board Commissioner Jerry Patterson to see how the state can partner with the federal government to build more veterans’ hospitals in Texas. Top of Cornyn’s list is a VA hospital for the Valley.

Hinojosa said the passage of Proposition 8 gives the state legislature the flexibility it needs to improve access to health care for Texas veterans, especially those in the Valley. He praised Dewhurst for adding the issue to the interim charge of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Military Instillations.

“Once the constitutional amendment was passed it allowed the state to participate and help out and invest in health care for veterans. For us here in the Rio Grande Valley, we have been advocating for a veterans’ hospital for a long time. Now, we get an opportunity to really look at this issue at the state level to make sure veterans are not denied access to health care,” Hinojosa said.

Hinojosa said he and the Valley legislative delegation is looking forward to drafting legislation for the 82nd legislative session that starts next January to address many of the needs of the veteran community.

“One of the things to remember is that we now have a lot of hospitals in the Valley. But, the veterans do not have access to those hospitals. So, for us, with the interim charge, we are looking and researching to see what access is being denied to Valley veterans,” Hinojosa said.

“Do they have to go to San Antonio for health care that ought to be provided by the local hospitals? How do we deal with that? As we look at this issue, if it turns out that we need a veterans’ hospital then we focus on that and we try to make sure we create a partnership with the federal government, the state of Texas and the private sector to make that happen.”

Asked what message he would like to send to Valley veterans in advance of Monday’s meeting, Hinojosa said: “I am a veteran. I served in the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam. I have a lot of respect for veterans. We have volunteered to fight for our country, to fight for our way of life and to fight for our families. It is imperative that public officials listen to veterans. Veterans have to express their concerns and their voices so they can be heard. I feel very strongly that many times we forget the sacrifices the veterans make in defending our country.”

In addition to meeting with Valley veterans’ leaders, Dewhurst and Hinojosa will focus on job creation and economic development on Monday. The two will hold a news conference on these issues at the Lone Star National Bank headquarters in McAllen at 11.30 a.m.

While in the Valley, Dewhurst will also attend a private fundraiser at Rancho Viejo Resort and Country Club organized for the Dewhurst campaign by political consultant Paul Cowen.

Write Steve Taylor

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