Urges Congress to change the funding of veterans' health care from a discretionary entitlement to a permanent and direct entitlement.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Joint Memorial 2
Sponsored by Representative EVANS (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: Urges Congress to change how veterans’ health care is funded. (Flesch Readability
Score: 69.7).
Urges Congress to change the funding of veterans’ health care from a discretionary entitlement
to a permanent and direct entitlement.
JOINT MEMORIAL
To the President of the United States and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United
States of America, in Congress assembled:
We, your memorialists, the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, in legisla-
tive session assembled, respectfully represent as follows:
Whereas the future of our nation and the American way of life depend on this nation’s success
in defending itself against its enemies at home and abroad; and
Whereas the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard, the reserve
components and the National Guard of each state have performed admirably and bravely in defense
of this nation; and
Whereas a grateful nation cares for and bestows benefits upon its brave veterans to whom this
nation owes its present prosperity and continued existence; and
Whereas veterans’ benefits include education, health care, pensions and disability payments; and
Whereas George Washington, the first President of the United States and Commander in Chief
of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, is reported to have said, “The willingness
with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be di-
rectly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreci-
ated by their nation”; and
Whereas for fiscal year 2025, veterans can receive health care services through the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs health care system only to the extent that congressional ap-
propriations allow; and
Whereas the provision of veterans’ health care is exceedingly important to veterans and their
families and survivors; and
Whereas the provision of payments to disabled veterans is among the most solemn responsibil-
ities of the American people; and
Whereas federal spending on veterans’ health care is discretionary rather than mandatory and
direct, as are many entitlement programs; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:
That we, the members of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly, respectfully urge the Congress
of the United States to change the funding of veterans’ health care from a discretionary entitlement
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 3274
HJM 2
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to a permanent and direct entitlement; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this memorial shall be sent to the President of the United States, the
Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and each member of the
Oregon Congressional Delegation.
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