Local folks in Brainerd need to know that veterans have no better or more effective advocate than Congressman Nolan despite the misleading attack that appeared in the March 29 Brainerd Dispatch.
The recent Minnesota visits by VA Secretary McDonald, in response to a bipartisan request by all Minnesota congressional members, is part of a long record of Nolan's advocacy. You will recall that Congressman Nolan and Congressman Tim Walz also held Veterans Forums in Brainerd and Duluth several months ago where local veterans made clear that among the top issues they faced were the unresponsive VA phone system, and frustration with the Veterans Choice program to provide local medical care.
Congressman Nolan followed these forums with pressure on the VA to fix Veterans Choice. When Congressman Nolan met with Secretary McDonald in Minneapolis recently, he again pressed this need to give veterans at risk of suicide immediate telephone access to trained counselors. Secretary McDonald promised Nolan that access to crisis counselors would be one button push away for callers before the end of 2016.
Veterans remember that Congressman Nolan was one of the first to call on President Obama to replace VA Secretary Shinseki when reports of abuse and corruption came to light. Our congressman restored VA ID services in Duluth-Superior and was recognized by local veterans for restoring national $22 million in funding for the military funeral honors program. Countless veterans have received personal help with their individual claims by calling on his office.
Congressman Nolan's unwavering record support for military veterans is clear, despite what Stewart Mills III or his flacks would have us believe.
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Sincerely,
Robert K. Nesheim
Baxter
