Authorizing City Council's Committee on the Disabled and the Handicapped to hold hearings to investigate and determine how many disabled and/ or handicapped veterans, especially Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans, are living in the Delaware Valley, and Philadelphia in particular; to identify and determine how best to assist these veterans in the receipt of needed medical and/or rehabilitative care; and to further determine ways that we can help the disabled war veteran get back into the mainstream of society; and determine whether or not these disabled veterans would seek to have the Delaware Valley certified by the United States Congress as a Regional Rehabilitation Hub with a rehabilitation medical facility in the Delaware Valley as a means to facilitate the rapid recovery of our service disabled veterans.

WHEREAS, The number of returning disabled veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan War has been grossly underestimated by the Bush Administration; and

WHEREAS, Walter Reed Army Medical Center has failed to live up to its mission of service to the many displaced veterans, especially disabled veterans, from around the Country, including the Delaware Valley; and

WHEREAS, The rehabilitative and medical needs of the disabled veterans must be addressed by skilled and competent rehabilitation experts; and

WHEREAS, There are more than 91,018 Pennsylvania veterans, alone, who receive full or partial medical compensation due to military service; and

WHEREAS, More than 125,360 veterans receive disability compensation from the Veterans Administration just in Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, The road to recovery is often very long and arduous requiring our young men and women to be away from their families, friends, and other support people for periods of time often exceeding one year; and

WHEREAS, Rehabilitation can be hastened by the presence of family, friends and other support people; and

WHEREAS, The re-introduction of our disabled war veterans into the mainstream of society is critical to the well being of our Region and Philadelphia specially; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council hereby authorizes City Council's Committee on the Disabled and Handicapped to hold hearings to investigate and determine how many disabled and/ or handicapped veterans, especially Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans, are living in the Delaware Valley, and Philadelphia in particular; to identify and determine how best to assist these veterans in the receipt of needed medical and/or rehabilitative care; and to further determine ways that we can help the disabled war veteran get back into the mainstream of society; and determine whether or not these disabled veterans would seek to have the Delaware Valley certified by the United States Congress as a Regional Rehabilitation Hub with a rehabilitation medical facility in the Delaware Valley as a means to facilitate the rapid recovery of our service disabled veterans.

End