By signing the Veterans Choice Program Extension and Improvement Act, President Donald Trump brought U.S. veterans a step closer to obtaining civilian-sector health care when regular Veterans Affairs (VA) sources are not readily available, an Army release said.
Referring to American service personnel’s vigilance, Trump cited the nation’s responsibility to support military veterans and “take care of them.”
"The veterans have poured out their sweat and blood and tears for this country for so long, and it's time that they're recognized, and it's time that we now take care of them and take care of them properly," Trump was quoted as saying in the release. "This bill will extend and improve the Veterans Choice Program so that more veterans can see the doctor of their choice … and don't have to wait and travel long distances for VA care."
Acknowledging that veterans have had to endure unrealistic requirements to receive medical care – sometimes traveling as much as five to eight hours to the nearest available VA facility – the president reminded constituents that the Veterans Choice Act is but a first step toward additional important reforms, the release said.
"This new law is a good start, but there is still much work to do," Trump said in the release. "We will fight each and every day to deliver the long-awaited reforms our veterans deserve and to protect those who have so courageously protected each and every one of us.se
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