I strongly urge you to contact your Senator and ask them to support S-713 for our troops and veterans:

Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Wednesday introduced legislation (S 713) that would require the Veterans Administration to increase inspections of military hospitals, create a timeframe for repairs and improve access to mental health services, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Under the bill, the amount of paperwork that veterans must complete in order to receive disability benefits also would be simplified. The bill has bipartisan support. A companion bill will be introduced in the House within the next few days, according to Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.). The House and Senate next week will hold hearings on how the Department of Defense and the VA are caring for U.S. troops who return from war. Several legislators recently have said they will introduce bills aimed at increasing aid for veterans and their families.