| Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) released the following statement in response to a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in which it states its refusal to establish a Department task force or working group to ensure its programs are accessible by persons with limited English proficiency. This is despite its own previous admission that ‘additional work is needed to ensure VA complies with the intent of the Executive Order.’
“I am extremely disappointed that once again the Bush Administration is choosing to leave our veterans behind. Without a task force or working group with specific responsibility for ensuring that its programs are accessible by persons with limited English proficiency, veterans may not receive appropriate care,” said Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis. “This blatant refusal to act is a slap in the face to those who are proudly serving our nation. I urge the Administration to reconsider this decision and to fully implement all steps to ensure its programs are accessible to persons with limited English proficiency.”
Executive Order 13166 requires the VA to prepare a plan to improve access to its programs by eligible persons with limited English proficiency. In a recent letter dated March 21, 2006 the VA noted that less than half of its facilities have implemented a written policy to ensure that services are provided in a linguistically and culturally competent manner and more than one-third have failed to provide monitoring and oversight. Only 43 percent of VA facilities have trained their staff to understand the VA’s policy and only 24 percent of facilities have translated materials into languages they encounter.
One in 10 soldiers currently serving in the U.S. Army and one in seven Marines are Latino. Asian and Pacific Islander Americans represent seven percent of the U.S. Navy and three percent of the United States Navy and Unites States Marine Corps servicemembers are American Indians or Alaskan Natives. A recent report by the Democratic Veterans Affairs Committee found that from October 2005 through June 2006 the number of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have turned to Vet Centers for counseling has doubled from 4,467 to 9,103.
Congresswoman Solis has introduced legislation to ensure VA services are culturally and linguistically appropriate (H.R. 5007) and has asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the status of the VA’s implementation of Executive Order 13166. In 2004, legislation Solis introduced to expedite the naturalization process for the more than 35,000 non-U.S. citizens serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and reserves was signed into law. |