McHenry County Blog

16th Congressional District Democratic Party candidate Robert Abboud has held a press conference in Rockford seeking the votes of veterans. Here is his press release.

ABBOUD ANNOUNCES PLAN TO INCREASE VETERANS’ ACCESS TO SERVICES, IMPROVE CARE
After 16 Years of Neglect from Manzullo, Abboud Seeks to Repair Sacred Trust of Caring for America’s Veterans

ROCKFORD – Democratic challenger Bob Abboud released his plan to increase access to, and improve the care of America’s veterans Wednesday, after touring a privately funded adult day care center that caters to veterans in Rockford.

Before a small crowd of veterans and local residents, Abboud outlined the need for a significant investment in America’s veterans.

“When private citizens are doing the work our government should be doing it is both an extraordinary and sad thing,” Abboud said. “What I have witnessed today is the incredible commitment of one family to helping care for Rockford and America’s heroes. But it is also a great tragedy to know that our government, and Don Manzullo, have chosen to leave our Veterans’ behind, cutting their access to quality health care and refusing to recognize the immediate need for increased attention to the effects of post traumatic stress disorder and the treatment of that disorder.”

Abboud hammered his opponent, incumbent Don Manzullo, for ‘forgetting who we owe our freedom to’. Manzullo, according to information compiled by Project Vote Smart, has been given a zero percent rating by the Disabled Veterans of America from 2003 to 2006. In addition, in 2006 the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American only gave Don Manzullo a grade of ‘C’.

“It’s time that we repair the sacred trust we have with our veterans,” Abboud said. “We can no longer let politicians like Don Manzullo neglect and avoid our duty to care for our veterans. The plan I have laid out today is just a start, but it is a good beginning. If we do anything, we must protect, care for and give every opportunity to our returning men and women in uniform. It is our responsibility as a nation to fight for their care and well being as hard as they have fought for our freedom and security.

Abboud said that every detail for the Abboud Veterans’ Platform would be available on his website at www.robertabboud.com. Abboud pieced his plan together after meeting with a large group of local veterans and individuals currently working for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Illinois. Abboud said the four cornerstones of his proposal should be a foundation for a renewed vigor in the pursuit of better care for veterans in the United States.

The plan included a call for the transition of veterans funding from discretionary funding to mandatory funding. Abboud stated that the cost of war is as much ‘bombs and bullets, as it is the care of our returning soldiers’. Second, he proposed the creation of a comprehensive online database where veterans of all ages could enter their zip code and receive information on all the public and private services available to them within their community. Abboud also called for a significant investment in the availability and quality of mental health care for veterans, to address the devastating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, Abboud said we must continue our commitment to increasing funding for, and access to higher education for every military service member.

“After hearing the concerns of local veterans it is clear we need to improve not only their access to care, but its quality as well. If veterans don’t know what care is available to them how can they utilize it. The programs I have proposed today will help stem the tide of military suicides, which are at an all time high, and help our veterans build a better life for themselves when they return home,” Abboud said.

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The photo of 16th District Democratic Party congressional candidate Robert Abboud was taken at the February meeting of the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee in Woodstock.

Labels: 16th Congressional District, Don Manzullo, Robert Abboud, Veterans