Hey Kay Bailey, Thanks for your belated response ... but no answer

Hey Kay Bailey, Thanks for your belated response … but no answer

Dear (BossKitty):

Thank you for contacting me regarding mental health services for American service members and veterans. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

With the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is important that we have the capacity to treat mental health issues for returning soldiers and Marines to cope with the hidden effects of combat. Among the mental health issues that could affect our military, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has attracted the most attention. While there is no cure for PTSD, mental health experts believe that early identification and treatment of its symptoms may lessen their severity and improve the overall quality of life for those affected individuals.

I have been working hard to designate the Waco Veterans Hospital as a “Mental Health Center of Excellence.” The Waco VA facility is already nationally recognized and is a leading institution in the field of psychiatric care due to its breakthrough research and treatment of mental health issues, including PTSD.

I am a strong supporter of America’s service members, and I will continue to work in the Senate to improve the lives and well-being of the members of our Armed Forces. Should legislation regarding mental health service benefits be considered by the full Senate, you may be certain I will keep your views in mind.

I appreciate hearing from you and hope you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison

Please do not reply to this message. If you have additional comments, send your remarks through Senator Hutchison’s website at http://hutchison.senate.gov/. Thank you.

Wow, I sent an urgent letter to both Senators and Lloyd Doggett on 8/30/07. My first response was from Lloyd Doggett who offered to help and gave me a contact. The second response was an auto e-mail that directed me to “Help With Government Agencies” on John Cornyn’s web page. The last response, received today, shows how quickly Kay Bailey Hutchinson responds to urgent communications from her constituents. She states proudly about how “hard” she’s working … regarding veterans, but does not answer the question asked about PTSD suicides. “I will keep your views in mind”.