June 29, 2007 - WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress members on Friday urged a presidential panel to use its sway with President Bush to finally solve years of problems with veterans health care.

In its last public hearing before considering recommendations, the nine-member Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors heard testimony about legislative efforts to fix gaps in the system.

Many of the commissioners said they wanted to ensure that families could have free access to private medical care if no adequate government facility is available in their home areas.

They also pledged to cut through a bureaucracy that has stymied significant improvements to veterans care for nearly 10 years.

Former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, the panel's co-chairs, said their report would focus on improving and simplifying the system of care for veterans and service members.

Citing the commission's finding, after three months of investigation, of a ``complex and confusing'' health care system, Dole and Shalala reiterated that their final report will not ``point fingers'' but offer immediate solutions. The report is expected in mid-July.

A bill unanimously approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee this month would require joint electronic medical records, expand brain screenings and work to end inconsistencies in disability pay. It's expected to be considered by the full Senate in July.

The presidential commission's support is needed to prod the Pentagon and VA since many of the recommendations were proposed years ago with little success, lawmakers said.

``You can give a major push legislatively, but still encounter resistance within the agencies,'' said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee. ``It has to be hammered home.''

Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana, the top Republican on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, was more blunt about the source of problems.

``We do not need legislation to do the right thing for our service members - we need leaders in the executive branch to take charge of their bureaucrats,'' he said. ``I was heartened when the president formed this commission. ... I remain hopeful, even confident, that your work will take advantage of that support.''

Bush created the presidential commission on March 6 to investigate veterans care following reports of shoddy outpatient treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Bush pledged to carefully listen to the panel's findings and recommendations.

During Friday's hearing, the commissioners said they have heard widespread complaints of lost medical records as wounded service members and veterans transitioned from Pentagon to VA care.

Many medical facilities reported being overwhelmed and extensive staff shortages, while soldiers said they felt the Army's system for rating disabilities and handing out benefits was outdated and had shortchanged them.

The commission is using a nationwide survey of veterans to quantify how widespread the problems are.

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said he hoped the commission could devise ways to pare down the VA's severely backlogged disability claims system.

Currently the VA has a backlog of between 400,000 to 600,000 claims, with a wait of more than 170 days. Those numbers are expected to rise as thousands more service members return home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

``It is time to take bold action to honor the commitments made to our veterans,'' Filner told commission members. ``The claims process must be addressed and fixed, now and forever.''