From Walter Reed and the thousands of VA facilities with sanitary problems, to endless red tape and long waits for medical and mental care, this Administration has failed our heroes. Below are a few numbers on the Administration’s failure to care for those who have sacrificed so much:


Number of VA Facilities with Problems: 1,100 [AP, 3/21/07]

Number of VA facilities with Mold Problems: At least 18 [AP, 3/21/07]

Number of VA facilities with Asbestos: At least 7 [AP, 3/21/07]

Number of Days it Takes the VA to Process Initial Benefits Claims: Between 127 and 177 [AP, 3/13/07]

Number of Days it Takes the VA to Process a Benefits Claim Appeal: 657 [AP, 3/13/07]

Number of Backlogged VA Benefit Claims: Roughly 600,000 [AP, 3/13/07]

Number of Veterans Expected in the Coming Years from the Global War on Terror: 700,000 [Newsweek, 3/5/07]

Number of Beds at VA Shelters or Hospitals: 15,000 [Newsweek, 3/21/07]

Number of Homeless Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans: 500-1000 [Newsweek, 3/21/07]

Number of Years the Contingency Tracking System Which Ensures Veterans Don’t Fall through Cracks Has Sat on a Shelf: At Least 3 [ABC, 3/7/07]

Number of Dollars the Contingency Tracking System Costs: 1 Million [ABC, 3/7/07]

Number of DOD Retirement Homes with Blood, Urine and Feces Spattered Rooms: At Least 1 [Washington Post, 3/22/07]

Number of Medical Processing Forms Average Soldier Has to File: 22 [Washington Post, 2/18/07]

Number of Commands Average Soldier Has to File Medical Processing Forms with: 8 [Washington Post, 2/18/07]

Number of Information Systems Used to Process Medical Processing Forms: 16 [Washington Post, 2/18/07]

Number of Soldiers Who Say Army Literature Explaining Outpatient Life is Helpful: 12% [Washington Post, 2/18/07]

Number of Times Secretary Nicholson Has Testified Before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee: 7 [Senate Veterans’ Committee (SVAC)]

Number of Times Nicholson Mentioned Horrible Conditions at VA Facilities: 0 [Senate Veterans’ Committee]

Number of Times Nicholson Requested Additional Funding to Address Horrible Conditions at VA Facilities: 0 [Senate Veterans’ Committee]

Number of Times Secretary Nicholson Told Congress in 2005 that VA’s Budget Was Adequate: At Least 4 [SVAC, 2/15/05; House Appropriations, 3/8/05; Washington Post, 4/5/05; SVAC, 6/9/05]

Number of Times Secretary Nicholson Told the Senate the VA Didn’t Need Emergency 2005 Funding: 1 [Senator Murray, 6/23/05]

Number Needed to Cover 2005 and 2006 VA Budget Shortfall: $2.6 Billion [Washington Post, 6/29/05]



Senator Murray and Senate Democrats are Working to Reverse These Numbers, and to Care for Our Heroes:

Patty Murray, No Newcomer to Advocating for Veterans [Washington Post, 3/29/07]

Murray: Bush Visit to Walter Reed Should Be More Than 'Photo-Op' [AP, 3/29/07]