Millions Pledged for Indiana Veterans

: Debt Relief and Hospital Upgrades

Two events on Wednesday aimed to support Hoosier veterans, with one committing $6 million over the next two years to erase medical debt and another discussing upgrades to the Roudebush VA Medical Center.

Verizon, Team Penske, and the Indianapolis Colts pledged $6 million to help erase medical debt for some Indiana vets. Andy Brady, President of Verizon's Great Lakes Market, said: "Giving back to them, especially in this time of need, when they didn’t ask for health issues, they just have them, is the right thing to do."

Senator Jim Banks discussed major upgrades to the Roudebush VA Medical Center. He explained: “As the only Hoosier that serves in Washington, DC, on the Veterans Committee in the House or the Senate, that's what I'm fighting for to make sure that those plans move forward and that the $2 billion replacement hospital for our veterans happens.”

However, some vets expressed concerns about the proposed cuts to thousands of jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, which were supported by Senator Banks. Daniel Cunningham, a Vietnam veteran, said: “We can’t help but be concerned that large cut will affect services to veterans. These are services we fought hard to gain.”

Senator Banks reassured vets about the upgrades and proposed cuts, stating: “I just met with a lot of veterans at the Roudebush Center who love this hospital, that care hasn’t stalled at all in fact, I expect the VA to be more efficient. That’s what President Trump, that's what Secretary Collins, that's what I care about making sure that we cut waste and bureaucracy in the Department of Veterans Affairs so that money can go to support our veterans instead.”

Veterans want less talk and more action. Blythe Potter, who was in the Army Reserves and also served in Iraq I from 2005 to 2006, said: “I deserve for my tax dollars to be paying my senators to actually fight for me and fight for what is right for the bulk of our population.”

Senator Banks aims to have the new and improved VA hospital completed within the next 10 years. Hoosier veterans will be selected at random for debt relief, with those chosen receiving a letter from Forgive Co.