Reps. Graves, Barnett, Brown, Durhal, Heise, Howrylak, Kelly, O'Brien, Roberts, Banks, Brunner, Cavanagh, Clemente, Cochran, Cotter, Crawford, Daley, Darany, Denby, Dianda, Faris, Forlini, Franz, Geiss, Genetski, Glardon, Goike, Greimel, Haines, Haugh, Haveman, Hobbs, Hooker, Hovey-Wright, Jenkins, Johnson, Kandrevas, Kivela, Kosowski, Kowall, Kurtz, LaFontaine, Lane, Lauwers, Leonard, Lipton, MacGregor, McCann, Muxlow, Nathan, Oakes, Outman, Pagel, Pettalia, Phelps, Potvin, Price, Pscholka, Rendon, Robinson, Rogers, Rutledge, Schmidt, Segal, Shirkey, Singh, Slavens, Smiley, Somerville, Stamas, Stanley, Switalski, Talabi, VerHeulen, Victory, Walsh, Yanez and Yonker offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 300.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to take a stronger role in investigating and eliminating delays in veterans' health care.

            Whereas, The men and women who serve our country deserve our utmost respect and appreciation. Many of them are injured in the line of duty and come home to face challenging physical disabilities and other health issues. These veterans need our continued support after they have left active service. All veterans are entitled to the best health care we can give them; and

            Whereas, Several VA facilities have a backlog of patients waiting for colonoscopies or endoscopies, necessary procedures for diagnosing cancers of the colon and digestive tract. As many as 7,000 veterans have been on the backlog list, often waiting over a year while experiencing pain and other symptoms that could not be properly treated without proper diagnosis; and

            Whereas, At least 19 veterans have died due to delays in commonly used medical screenings, such as colonoscopies. Although the backlog problem was uncovered as early as July of 2011, little progress has been made in increasing the numbers of veterans who receive the necessary medical procedures; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to take a stronger role in investigating and eliminating delays in veterans' health care; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.