August 10, 2009 - Your support for VCS is shaping the history of veterans' rights. Veterans for Common Sense invites you to watch a very important court hearing impacting access to healthcare and disability benefits for America's 25 million veterans and their families. C-SPAN will cover the event live.

This Wednesday at 9:30 AM, our attorneys, Gordon Erspamer, Morrison & Foerster, and Sid Wolinsky at Disability Rights Advocates appear before the Ninth District Court of Appeals in San Francisco. I will be there with many other veterans as a sign of support. Please read our press release about the Appeals Court hearing.

This is the next step in our landmark lawsuit against VA. The first trial uncovered lots of dirty laundry and brought it to light for America and Congress to see. We are eagerly anticipating even more positive changes so veterans can fully utilize VA.

Please assist VCS with covering our expenses associated with our lawsuit by making a donation. Remember, VCS is largely member funded! Your tax-deductible gift will be put to work helping veterans today.

Impact of VCS-VUFT Lawsuit

Two years ago Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth made history with our lawsuit against the Department of Veterans Affairs. We are tired of the endless delays caused by VA, including the fact that VA medical centers turned away suicidal veterans seeking mental healthcare - a dire moral outrage during a time our Nation fights two wars.

While some at VA called our suit a nuisance, and VA tried in vain to have the suit dismissed, our lawsuit provided several victories for veterans. The court ruled VA was harming our veterans with unreasonable delays in healthcare and benefits.

The court forced VA to release internal documents showing VA concealed a terrible and tragic suicide epidemic and even sought to block access to healthcare and disability benefits for veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

Your contributions makes a difference! Please set up a monthly gift to VCS today so we can keep the heat on VA to improve access to timely services for our veterans.

Be a Part of History - Watch Hearing and Support VCS

This Wednesday at 9:30 AM, our attorneys in our case, Gordon Erspamer and Morrison & Foerster and Sid Wolinsky at Disability Rights Advocates, appear before the Ninth District Court of Appeals in San Francisco. C-SPAN will carry the case live. Read our appeal brief here.

How important is this lawsuit? Two widely respected veterans organizations, the Vietnam Veterans of America and Swords to Plowshares, wrote the Appeals Court and agreed that VCS and VUFT were right and that the current crisis demands court intervention to overhaul and reform VA.

How historic is this case? Last week, Gordon Erspamer was presented with the prestigious pro bono attorney of the year award by the American Bar Association. You can view a video about Gordon here.

After VCS and VUFT filed our lawsuit, VA set up a toll-free suicide prevention hotline at 800-273-TALK. So far, 150,000 distraught veterans have called, and VA performed more than 3,200 rescues, including a soldier on active duty in Iraq.

Your support keeps the needs of veterans front and center in the news. Please donate to VCS today so we can improve how VA takes care of our veterans.

Thank You !

Paul Sullivan
Executive Director
Veterans for Common Sense