U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) will be in Eastern Oregon this week to meet with local veterans and veterans’ advocates in Umatilla, Wallowa, and Union counties.
Walden will discuss ways to improve healthcare options and resources for veterans in the region, and hear from advocates about the challenges they see first-hand trying to get veterans the care they need at the Veterans Administration (VA). He will also provide an update on his work in Congress to reduce the rate of veteran suicide, eliminate mismanagement at the VA, and provide veterans with access to affordable, quality care in a timely manner. A full schedule is below.
On Thursday, Walden will be in Umatilla County to meet with community leaders and members of the Hermiston Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) and American Legion chapters. He will hear from local veterans about the issues they experience accessing care and resources at the VA, and discuss current efforts in the U.S. House to improve the VA’s Beneficiary Travel and Choice programs. With Walden’s support, Congress recently passed and the President signed into law legislation to boost resources for veterans and help reform the VA, including measures to reduce the disability claims backlog, increase rural healthcare options for veterans, and modernize healthcare technology at VA facilities.
Friday morning, Walden will travel to Milton-Freewater for a meeting with local veterans. He will discuss his efforts to bring reform to the VA and improve care for veterans in Oregon and around the country. Later Friday, Walden will be in Wallowa County to join community leaders and members of the VFW chapter in Enterprise for a luncheon meeting. He will hear from community leaders about rural issues affecting the region, and update local veterans on proposals in Congress to improve veterans’ access to quality healthcare and increase accountability at the VA. Walden will then travel to Union County to visit Eastern Oregon University (EOU) in La Grande. He will receive an update from EOU leaders on the resources they provide student veterans through their Student Veterans Program, and discuss his work in the U.S. House to improve and enhance educational and career opportunities for veterans.
On Saturday, Walden will be in Pendleton to meet with the Backcountry Horsemen of Oregon, and later attend the demobilization of Pendleton’s National Guard Unit, the 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment. The unit was deployed to the Middle East from October 2015 to October 2016, along with Washington and California National Guard units as part of the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade.
