Senate Committee Questions Halt In Veterans' Home Admissions

In the wake of reports that Pennsylvania has stopped admitting veterans to the six homes across the state, the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee will hold a public hearing to get to the bottom of the problem.

"This is a very unsettling situation for veterans and their families – ailing veterans are not being admitted, workers are not getting paid, and rumors abound of layoffs and closings. I truly hope that the Rendell Administration has not stooped to making veterans who need care pawns in this budget dispute, but we need to find the facts," according to Lisa Baker, the committee chair.

"The obligation to provide care for Pennsylvania's veterans is a high priority. It is not some nonessential service that can be suspended just because the budget is up in the air. As beds open up in the veterans' homes, they should be filled. There is no reason for individuals to be on the waiting list even one extra day, much less for several weeks," Baker said.

"The Governor recently told reporters that no state services have been diminished. That does not seem to be true if vacant beds in veterans' homes are going unfilled," she pointed out.

The hearing is set for Tuesday, July 28th, at 1 o'clock in Hearing Room 1 of the North Office Building in Harrisburg.

Officials from the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, personnel from a veterans' home, and representatives from veterans' advocacy groups have been invited to testify and respond to questions.