CHAPTER 221 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 5011 A  Concurrent  Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States to provide lifetime health care benefits for military retirees and their families.       WHEREAS,  Insomuch as many of our citizens have risen to the de-
fense and safeguard of our state and nation, this Concurrent Resolution
of support and honor recognizes those individuals who unselfishly served
our state and nation as they defended our democratic way of life and the
freedoms set down by the founding fathers of this nation; and

      WHEREAS,  The state of Kansas through its Legislature acknowledges
and recognizes the contribution these veterans of military service have
made to the estate of all our citizens, and we ask the Congress of the
United States to acknowledge these retired veterans by continuing to
support and improve their quality of life through extended health care;
and

      WHEREAS,  This population of retired veterans served during foreign
and domestic crises of the 20th century, where their involvement with
names such as Ardennes, Wake, Guadalcanal, Normandy, Bastogne and
Iwo Jima earned our nation's highest respect and accolades; while other
names not so common to America were added during the Korean conflict,
like Inchon and Choson; later came other Asian names like DaNang, Khe
Sanh, Hue and Quang Tri; places these retired veterans know all too well
as a battleground which tested their will to survive and return; and

      WHEREAS,  These retired veterans now constitute a significant por-
tion of the aging population in this country and, in particular, our state;
and

      WHEREAS,  These retired veterans were guaranteed through con-
tract, both stated and implied, lifetime access to medical benefits for
themselves and their immediate family members upon retirement for
serving their nation unselfishly and honorably for 20 years or more; and

      WHEREAS,  Prior to retirement at age 65 years, this population of our
citizenry were provided health care service through the military health
care system or through other U.S. Department of Defense programs;
however, upon reaching the age of 65 years and through recent Federal
regulatory changes in entitlements for military health care benefits, these
individuals that served and their family members, lost significant portions
of their health care support system; and

      WHEREAS,  The medical benefits which were lost through changes
to Federal legislation forced these retired veterans to pay out-of-pocket
for medical coverage from alternative sources; and those changes forced
these citizens into omnibus national health care programs, such as Med-
icare; and

      WHEREAS,  Many retired veterans and their immediate family mem-
bers live on fixed incomes where the loss of medical benefits significantly
impacts their quality of life, disrupts their needed levels of care and puts
out of reach certain health care capabilities and pharmaceutical support
to which they had been previously entitled; and

      WHEREAS,  Many of these retired veterans suffering from service
connected injuries, serious illnesses, or medically-related quality of life
developments have found that their access to medical treatment facilities
is now limited due to significant downsizing or in many rural areas has
become nonexistent; and

      WHEREAS,  These honorable men and women of Kansas and of this
nation who have sacrificed in the uniformed service of our country are
deserving of the health care programs to sustain their quality of life that
they were guaranteed for 20 or more years of unselfish service; and

      WHEREAS,  The Legislature of the state of Kansas has a special
charge to safeguard and maintain the quality of life for its citizens that
have served and earned a retirement from military service: Now, there-
fore,

      Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas,
the Senate concurring therein: That the Kansas Legislature respectfully
requests and petitions its Congressional representatives of the United
States to address, for rectification, the aforementioned concerns regard-
ing the health care coverage of our retired military veterans and their
immediate families; and

      Be it further resolved: That the Secretary of State is hereby directed
to send enrolled copies of this resolution to the President of the United
States, the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives and to each member of the
Kansas Congressional Delegation.

 Adopted by the House February 22, 2002.
Adopted by the Senate
March 20, 2002.
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