WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, released the following statement after the Senate passed legislation to expand veterans’ access to health care. The Veterans Access to Community Care Act of 2015 (S. 1463), of which Sen. Blumenthal is a cosponsor, will allow veterans to receive health care outside of the Veterans Administration (VA) if they have to travel more than 40 miles to a VA facility that can provide the care they need.

“In fitting prelude to Memorial Day, the Senate is acting to provide far-readier access to health care that veterans truly need and deserve – in real time and real distance. Availability of health care must be measured in what a veteran truly needs, as this measure seeks to achieve. This measure is a great step, and I will fight for more action to assure that all veterans have access to the best possible medical care in the fastest possible time.”