releases: https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/case-you-missed-it-veterans-thank-walden-support-grants-pass-daily
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/case-you-missed-it-veterans-thank-walden-support-grants-pass-daily | In Case You Missed It: "Veterans thank Walden for support" in the Grants Pass Daily Courier | 2015-02-09 | 2015 | 2015-02 | Republican | House | OR | Greg Walden | W000791 | walden.house.gov | legacy | In Case You Missed It: Veterans thank Walden for support in the Grants Pass Daily Courier Local veteran Joseph Rice said he thanked U.S. Rep. Greg Walden for "leading the charge against the Veterans Administration, trying to get the system to work" at Friday's Stand Up veterans benefit event at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. "It needs to continue. A lot more needs to be done," Rice said. "He's leading the charge."The congressman was instrumental in the opening of the new medical clinic on Williams Highway last year, and he helped pass legislation the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act to allow veterans to see non-VA doctors if their distance or wait time was too long. Walden (R-Hood River) said the program is just getting off the ground, and estimated that 700 veterans in Southern Oregon have the Veterans Choice Card. Bills have been introduced in the current Congress to improve and clarify that 2014 law. Walden rubbed elbows and listened to vets, before speaking at a town hall meeting at the Anne Basker Auditorium in downtown Grants Pass and dropping by the Republican Lincoln Day Dinner at the Taprock Event Center. He was impressed with what the community did for homeless vets. "When more than 400 veterans turn out for an event like this, it says to me our job isn't done," Walden said. "It also says this community really supports its vets. "Not only are we trying to do more for veterans, we're trying to fix the root problems in the agency that delivers access to care," he added. Walden has also voted for the Hire More Heroes Act, exempting veterans who already receive health care through the VA or Department of Defense from being counted as part of the employee limit under the Affordable Health Care Act. Another pending bill that hits close to home is the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, which would expand mental health services to veterans. Hunt, a Marine who served in Iraq, killed himself in 2008 in Texas. The bill has passed the House and Senate, and is expected to be signed by President Obama, Walden said. Rice said a Josephine County veteran of the war in Iraq, age 32, committed suicide here last week, after getting a phone call from his team leader in the war, who also killed himself. "We lose 22 vets a day to suicide," Rice said. "It's a huge problem," Walden added. Francis Rowan of Cave Junction, commander of Post 70 of the American Legion, also spoke with Walden. "I told him this was a great success today, and that we need more of these in Josephine County," Rowan said. "We have about 17,000 veterans in Josephine County. So we need to have more of these." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |