Walberg, Bipartisan Colleagues Introduce POW Priority Care Act

Statement

Washington, D.C.--Ahead of Veterans Day, U.S. Representatives Tim Walberg (R-MI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Bobby Rush (D-IL) introduced H.R. 5947, the POW Priority Care Act. This bipartisan legislation would elevate former Prisoners of War (POW) to Priority Group 1 in the scale used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to determine eligibility for health care benefits and services. Currently, POWs are allocated to Priority Group 3.

"As we pay tribute to our veterans this week, it serves as another reminder of the sacred responsibility we have to care for the men and women who defended our freedoms," said Congressman Walberg. "Our nation's former POWs were forced to endure unthinkable hardship in service to country, and there should be no question that they deserve the highest level of care at the VA. This legislation is an important step we can take as a grateful nation, and I am thankful to my colleagues for joining me in this bipartisan effort."

"I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of the POW Priority Care Act as we commemorate Veterans Day this week and honor those who have sacrificed so much for us," Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. "It is humbling to listen to veterans from my community share their experiences, their hardships, and their courage. Veterans who were Prisoners of War sacrificed so much for this country and deserve the highest quality of healthcare and services."

"Veterans who were Prisoners of War have wounds both visible and not visible from the unique hardships they endured. The POW Priority Care Act recognizes the adversity that POWs faced and their service by elevating these veterans to the highest priority status for medical care at Department of Veterans Affairs. I'm proud to join Representatives Walberg, Krishnamoorthi, and Rush in introducing the POW Priority Care Act and hope my colleagues support this bill to raise the priority status for medical care for POWs," said Congressman Guthrie.

"Prisoners of War have endured the unthinkable and made unimaginable sacrifices for our nation and for the freedoms we all enjoy. They should be at the front of the line to receive the highest level of medical care, in the most efficient manner possible, upon their return home. Unfortunately, right now this is not the case. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this important legislation to right this wrong and honor our heroic POWs," said Congressman Rush.