Published November 1998 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd On Guard for Our Veterans
Fifty years ago, the Soviet Union attempted to enforce a blockade of all the overland and air routes to Berlin. The Soviets wanted to cut Berlin's ties to the rest of the world and take control of Germany, but America and the other Allied Forces stood firm against this effort. For months, through the Berlin Airlift, the Allies kept the city's people, and their hope for freedom, alive. The airlift became a symbol of the Allies' determination not to yield to communism. West Virginians were part of that effort, just as they have been a part of every fight to protect the nation's interests abroad. Our state's sons and daughters have always been prepared to fight for our country, whether in Berlin or in other trouble spots around the globe. We owe a great debt to our veterans for their service. In my work in the U.S. Senate, I have striven to help repay that debt. Recently, I became a member of the Senate's VA/HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, in part, because I felt it would better position me to fight for veterans' needs. In an appropriations bill this year, I supported the addition of $42.5 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). That legislation provided $17 billion for veterans' health care, $249 million above last year's level. I also added language to the report accompanying that bill urging the VA to accelerate efforts to establish outpatient clinics in Grant and Pendleton counties. Other language I added directs the VA to continue the specialized, local health services demonstration program operated by the Clarksburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. These initiatives are intended to bring modern medical care within easy reach of West Virginia veterans. I have also taken the lead to secure health care benefits for veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War. Since that conflict's end, thousands of veterans have suffered from a range of diseases and medical complications. However, the government has not provided them with the care that they deserve. Recently, I won approval of legislation guaranteeing that these veterans will finally receive the care they need. West Virginia has sent record numbers of men and women to fight for our nation, never wavering in answering the call of their country. As we celebrate and commemorate Veterans Day this year, may God bless all West Virginians who have fought and sacrificed to preserve our freedom and interests throughout the world. November 4, 1998