Washington, DC - Yesterday, Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-51) and a group of bipartisan legislators submitted letters urging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies to fund essential health care programs for our nation’s veterans during the 2016 Fiscal Year.

Congressman Vargas led a letter to the Subcommittee requesting $15 million in funding for the Department of Defense (DoD) - Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care Sharing Initiative Fund.  This fund would provide resources to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of the health care provided to DoD and VA system beneficiaries.  Vargas also signed onto a letter led by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) requesting $622 million for medical and prosthetic research and onto a letter led by Congresswoman Elizabeth H. Esty (CT-5) requesting $144 million for suicide prevention in the upcoming appropriations bill.

“I am committed to ensuring that our dedicated veterans, who have made such great sacrifices, have the access to the care they deserve,” stated Congressman Vargas.  “Our government must be responsive to their health care needs and be especially attentive to areas such as prosthetic research and suicide prevention that disproportionately affect veterans and their families.”

Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire US/Mexico border.  Vargas is currently serving his first term in Congress.  He represented the 40th California State Senate District from 2010-2012, the 79th California State Assembly District from 2000 – 2006 and served on the San Diego City Council from 1993 – 2000.