LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the New York State Congressional deleg-
ation to support the passage of the Women Veterans Access to Quality
Care Act of 2015, S.471

WHEREAS, The federal legislation known as the Women Veterans Access to
Quality Care Act of 2015 would require the Department of Veterans
Affairs shall establish standards to ensure that all medical facilities
of the VA have the structural characteristics necessary to adequately
meet the gender-specific health care needs of veterans at such facili-
ties, including privacy, safety, and dignity; and
WHEREAS, All VA health care facilities would be required to have a
full time obstetrician and/or gynecologist on staff under this measure;
and
WHEREAS, All health outcomes will be analyzed by the Government
Accountability Office to study the VA's ability to meet the needs of
female veterans; and
WHEREAS, Under this federal legislation outreach to veterans would be
improved by requiring the VA to provide state agencies with contact
information for veterans; and
WHEREAS, There are nearly 2.3 million female veterans nationwide and
that number has continued to grow annually by 9 percent since 2000; and
WHEREAS, Women make up 15 percent of the United States military's
active duty personnel and 18 percent of the National Guard and Reserve
forces; and
WHEREAS, In New York State there are 66,052 female veterans; and
WHEREAS, There are 12 medical centers, 47 community based outpatient
clinics and 16 veteran centers in New York state; and
WHEREAS, According to VA internal documents and reports, almost one in
four VA hospitals do not have a full-time gynecologist on staff; and
WHEREAS, When community-based clinics refer veterans to other medical
facilities to be tested for breast cancer, over half of their mammogram
results are not provided within the required VA policy time limit of two
weeks; and
WHEREAS, According to a VA presentation in 2013, veterans of child-
bearing age were more likely to be given medications that may cause
birth defects than women being treated through a private HMO; and
WHEREAS, Female veterans are placed on the VA's Electronic Wait List
at a higher rate than male veterans due to lack of facilities specific
to the needs of female veterans; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of the Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act
of 2015 is to improve the provision of health care for women veterans by
the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
WHEREAS, This federal legislation is supported by the Military Order
of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A. Inc.; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the New York State Congressional delegation be and
hereby is respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to support
the passage of the Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act of 2015,
S.471 to recognize the unique healthcare needs of women veterans; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to each member of the Congressional delegation from New York
State.