COURT HOUSE – Senator Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May/Cumberland/Atlantic) said today’s hearing of the New Jersey Veterans’ Hospital Task Force demonstrated the critical need to expand health care services in South Jersey.
The task force was created by legislation sponsored by Senator Van Drew to address the lack of available veterans’ health care services in the southern region of the state. It held its inaugural meeting in Ocean County in October. During its second public hearing, held today at VFW Post 2189 in Somers Point, Atlantic County, the panel heard from dozens of veterans about the problems they have encountered accessing care.
“We owe our country’s veterans a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they’ve made to protect our freedoms. Perhaps above all, we owe it to them to provide reasonable access to the very best health care available,” said Senator Van Drew. “The stories we heard from veterans about the obstacles they face in accessing care are heartbreaking. We believe, however, that those accounts are critical to the process the task force is undertaking to make the case for additional health care services for our veterans in South Jersey. Whether that means building a new facility of contracting with an existing health care provider, the ultimate goal is to give those who have served this country access to the health care they have so rightfully earned.”
The “New Jersey Veterans’ Hospital Task Force” is charged with studying and developing recommendations for constructing and operating a veterans health care facility in southern New Jersey, or for contracting with an existing health care facility to provide services to veterans. The panel is required to submit its recommendations to the governor and Legislature within one year of its initial meeting, which was held in October.
Senator Van Drew said today the task force has formulated a plan for moving forward and assigned tasks to various members of the panel. The task force will hold two additional public meetings, one each in Ocean and Cape May counties, with the intention of presenting legislation at the final meeting.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
