BIG SPRING — U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer enjoyed two things about Thursday's lunch at the Texas State Veterans Home — chatting with some "real American heroes" and eating real West Texas barbecue.
"In Washington, I don't know what it is they call barbecue, but it's nothing like the real thing," he told his tablemates. "Whenever I come back home, I always try to get my fill of brisket."
Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, was here to visit two veterans facilities along with U.S. Reps. Mike Conaway, R-Midland, and Jeff Miller, R-Florida, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
The morning was spent at the VA Medical Center, but at noon, Neugebauer headed to the Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez Texas State Veterans Home.
Following a brief meeting with the state home leadership, Neugebauer and his staff took their place in line behind about 30 veterans. About 150 men and women currently live at the home.
After loading up his plate with brisket, beans and potatoes, Neugebauer took a seat at a table with three veterans.
Conversation topics ranged from barbecue to budget cuts.
Neugebauer said he agreed with comments Miller made earlier at the VA Medical Center that veterans programs should be taken off the table as much as possible when Congress considers funding cuts. The VA is the second-largest department within the federal government, with more than 300,000 employees and an annual budget of nearly $100 billion. Only the Department of Defense is larger.
"I think what the chairman said is right: to the greatest extent possible, we're trying to preserve that funding," Neugebauer said.
"It's not just how much money you spend, many times it's how you spend it. What we want to do is take advantage of technology and new techniques. We want to make sure we have good, relevant, available health care for our veterans. We may deliver it in different ways, but the bottom line is we make sure we deliver it."
Neugebauer said he also recognized the need to address spending within the agency.
"We owe the American taxpayers the responsibility of delivering (veterans' health care) in a responsible, cost-effective way," he said.
It will be challenging, he said, especially since the current budget calls for "unsustainable" borrowing of 42 cents of every dollar spent.
"Families can't do that, businesses can't do that, and our government cannot continue to do that. What we're going to have to do is prioritize how we spend that money in the future, and certainly our veterans are going to be one of our priorities," he said.
Walter Durham, 83, a World War II veteran, has lived at the veterans home for about a year. He said he draws a little more than $1,200 a month in Social Security and VA benefits, and if cuts were made to the VA budget, he would have significant financial worries.
"If it wasn't for the VA, I couldn't live in this home, afford the medications I need, or get the care I need here. And I got nowhere else to go," he said.
"The government promised us, when we came out of the service, that they'd take care of us when we needed it. Veteran funding should be 100 percent off-limits," he said.
Bob Kerr, administrator of the home, said the funding picture may be cloudy, but the ongoing need for veterans services is clear.
"We're starting to see the end of the World War II and Korea generations, and seeing more and more referrals from the Vietnam era. I anticipate we'll be seeing more clients from the current wars. We're currently retooling how we serve those populations, because they're vastly different. They're not going to just want to sit around and play Bingo," he said. "They'll have higher expectations in terms of the care provided and what options are available to them."
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