The montgomery bus boycott. Well reflect on the boycott and see what role lawyers played in that protest and the civil rights movement, as we hear from fred gray, attorney for rosa parks, and demonstrators. Then at 6 00, William Davis on the littleknown aspects of the lives and leadership of Union Generals grant and lee. Sunday afternoon at 4 00 on real america, a Progress Report on nasas projects including the manned Space Program and the mariner 4 flyby of mars. Writer and awardwinning documentary maker rick burns about how the public learns about history through film and television. American history tv, all weekend and holidays too, only on cspan 3. Three days of featured programming this Holiday Weekend on cspan. Friday evening at 7 00 eastern, honoring former Vice President dick cheney at the capitol with the unveiling of a bust. When the critics were going off the deep end, he asked lynn, his wife, does it bug you when people refer to me as darth vader . She said, no, it humanizes you. [ applause ] saturday night at 8 30 eastern, an indepth look at policing in minority communities. Speakers include former st. Louis Police Officer hudson, and washington, dc police chief cathy lanier. Most people get defensive if they feel like youre being offensive. So being very respectful, you know, in encounters and requests, if its not a crisis or dangerous situation, requests versus demands, those things change the dynamics a little bit. And sunday afternoon at 2 00, race and the criminal Justice System with Valerie Jarrett and others. At 6 30, portions of this years washington ideas festival, featuring former Vice President al gore and author ann marie slaughter. Weve got to banish the word, hes helping at home. Helping is not actually taking the burden off you. You are still figuring out what needs to be done, and you are asking him to help. He is not the agent, right . Hes the assistant. And if were going to get to where we need to go, men have to be lead parents or fully equal coparents. For our complete schedule, go to cspan. Org. A discussion now on veterans and military issues from a recent edition of washington journal. This is just over 25 minutes. Joining us is bill rausch, political director of the iraq and afghanistan veterans of america, here to talk about veterans issuance. Mr. Rausch, lets begin with what the white house is announcing today, they Want Congress to pass measures that would easy access of veterans to healthcare. They also want to do work on education. Then you have several cities, states, announcing that they have dealt with homelessness of veterans today. What do you make of all this . Its an interesting week for us. Its veterans week. And its a special time for the veteran community. And part of that is state, local, even the federal government stepping up and putting forth many initiatives. The white house is not only pushing for legislation, as you mentioned, theyve gathered veterans and family members of the white house this morning. The mayor of new york city just yesterday announced a new department of Veterans Affairs within the city government. So this is the week where there are all kinds of exciting conversations about how to serve those who have served us, how to give back to the men and women who have fought for this country. And those are all great, exciting things. From our perspective, its what happens next week, after veterans week. Its what happens next month. Its what happens next year when not everyone is paying attention to these types of issues. Thats where it really, really becomes a critical conversation. Thats where, frankly, we can gauge and judge how much success were having in washington. Its not just this week when everybody is paying attention. Its the hard work when the lights and cameras arent on. Whats the state of affairs in the department of Veterans Affairs . The va is in a turbulent time. Our policy priority is to reform government for todays veterans. We like to say that secretary bob mcdonald, who is on the job for a little over a year, probably has the most difficult job in washington, dc. I myself go to the va for care in the dc medical clinic. I know your guests later today are going to talk about some of that work. But the va over time, what we found, has completely lost the trust of the veteran population. Just over this past weekend, a member of iava reached out to us who said, you know, im feeling comfortable going to the clinic in philadelphia where he lives. He reached out to us, and we encouraged him to go back. We sent that information up the chain to va. And in that specific individuals case, they had a good experience for the first time in a long time. And for us, at iava, thats what we achieve to do for a membership perspective. Then simultaneous to that, in washington, dc, were pushing for new policy to modernize the va, passing the clayhunt save act at the beginning of this congress, helping the va recruit more Mental Health professionals where theres a shortage, helping the va to conduct an assessment on which Mental Health programs are working, which arent, and those types of activities we can continue to build on, frankly to make sure we can fix the va, restore trust to veterans. Because at the end of the day, the vas design, the va exists to serve those who have borne the battle. And its our job to make sure they get the job done. Bill rausch is taking your questions and comments. We have a fourth line set aside for those active and retired military. Bill rausch, lets talk about action in the senate yesterday. The Senate Approved an 80 billion spending bill for veterans programs and military construction projects. What can you highlight from this legislation that serves veter s veterans. Yesterday was a busy day on the hill. There are a few things that we want to highlight. Were talking about veterans issues. A lot of these issues also apply to the men and women in uniform. And one of the things that we were very pleased to see come out of the congress was, in the budget deal specifically, some relief from sequestration. We think thats significant because what weve seen on the dod side is because of these forced cuts across the board, individuals specifically in the army are being forced out, theyre getting pink slips. Theyre deployed to afghanistan, and while theyre there they get a pink slip saying, hey, thanks for your service, its time to go. So from the funding perspective, thats a significant win, we believe, for the community. There are many, many other things that can be done. Senator donnelley, who we met with yesterday morning, he has been a champion of Mental Health issues for the community. He continues to work in the senate to represent the veterans and military families that struggle with these issues on a daily basis. And he also has a package that hell be putting forward in the near future that we think is encouraging and will have a real impact on the community. Mike from white plains, a democrat. Caller im live . Youre on the air. Caller let me put it this way. In the revolutionary war, the vets got land. They couldnt forward to pay, they got ious. The people bought up the ious, then lost their farms. The only vets who have ever made out were world war ii vets. All the vets have got a royal screwing. Were told to mind our own business, and we should never have been in iraq and afghanistan. Mr. Rausch . Mike, thanks for your call. Ill speak on behalf of iraq and afghanistan veterans, which are our members, but also from a personal perspective, i feel very fortunate and blessed, frankly, as a veteran that ive been welcomed back to this country in a way that many of my predecessors and mentors have not. Just yesterday in our office here in new york we had a vietnam veteran who is a remarkable ladder within our Community Talk about the challenges he had when he came back from vietnam. I think back to where i grew up, in ohio, a small town where members of the local community, bill grady, who was a High School Teacher of mine, bill young, larry daniels, other vietnam vets who talked about a very different experience that they had compared to what i had. So i feel like the post9 11 generation has benefitted, frankly, from the vietnam veterans, especially their work and the trailblazing that they did, frankly, which i believe built and created this sea of goodwill that we benefit from today. There are certain challenges in congress, you know, we talked about a funding package just a moment ago, fully funding the va has been a challenge. But by and large, most folks on the hill and in communities across the country that ive been in have been very supportive of the post9 11 veteran. From my perspective, i feel that weve been very fortunate and blessed by a country that truly has been able to separate the war from the warrior, to allude to your last point. And in our last hour of todays washington journal, in the last half of our program, the last half of that hour, well be talking with veterans only this morning, and asking them about what the transition to civilian life was like for them, as we continue to mark veterans day, 2015, here on the washington journal. Bill rausch, who about unemployment . A headline, jobs are now in reach for recent veterans, the rate almost identical to civilians. Whats going on . To tie it into veteran employment, many years ago, the veterans community, administration, business leaders, made a commitment to address the challenges of unemployment within the veteran community. And like most things in america, when we make an all to action and we put our mind to doing something, we can get the job done. So weve seen those unemployment rates go down. In some instances theyre below our civilian counterparts. Its a really, really remarkable story, a good news story. One of the challenges now, though, is rather than just focusing on getting that veteran a job, making sure they get the right career. When we talk to our members and look at our annual survey, what we find is a lot of veterans after they transition end up, you know, changing jobs multiple times, say, within the first three to five years of separation. And so were looking at retention. Were looking at getting folks in the right space. Were looking at veteran entrepreneurship. On our staff we have a woman veteran, iraq war vet, who opened up a crossfit gym with her husband in Northern Virginia. We have a member, emily successful Small Business owner who stood up at an incubator in Northern Virginia, capital post, that allows veterans to come in and get assistance and mentorship from other business leaders. So weve tackled a lot with the unemployment challenge, and so what were doing now is starting to refine that approach to support veterans in an even greater way. So we think its a good news story. But the other piece to this, which is also one of our priorities in our policies agenda is we have to defend the educational ben fitz, frankly, that have allowed and facilitated veterans to join the work force. There are a lot of folks that want to do Different Things with the new g. I. Bill which has been one of the most sweeping pieces of legislation thats impacted the post9 11 community and we need to make sure we protect that so we can set veterans up for success through the right educational benefits. Steve in stantonville, tennessee, a republican, also on yretired military, steve, good morning to you. Go ahead. Caller yeah, im a vietnam marine. I just want to Say Something here. Theres nothing going to change at the v. A. I started going to them when i was 40, i went for about 10 years, i couldnt take it no more. I have a private clinic that i go to now, i pay for my own medicine. Id like to tell the federal employees union, its not your v. A. , its a veterans v. A. , maam. Nothing will change until you get the corporate dirty stinking unions out of it. Its the veterans v. A. You understand . Mr. Rauch . Well, two things, one, steve, youre a marine and i know yesterday was a marine birthday, happy birthday. As far as your experience going downtown for care, i do the same thing. I have private Health Insurance as well as insurance at the v. A. And i agree completely that its the veterans v. A. And we are constantly reminding the v. A. Of that. Were a Nonpartisan Organization and we work with other private nonprofit partners to make sure veterans are receiving the care they deserve that weve earned and i would just highlight to your point, you know, the more veterans that we can get in to the v. A. , i think would help us transform it. And i dont know your personal experience but i do share similar challenges with the v. A. From my own personal experience. But ill say this and its not just because im an optimist. I remember when i deployed to iraq in 2006, may of 2006, we were losing well over 100 folks a month. There was a civil war happening after the samarra mosque bombing earlier that year and when i left in september of 07, american deaths were below 100 a month. Things had gotten better is my point. So regardless of what you thought of the situation in iraq, i know my experience led me to believe that no matter how dire a situation, that when we come together and put Mission First and Work Together we can fix it. So for from my perspective, we dont think the v. A. Is a lost cause. Weve seen improvements at the v. A. , the Veterans Crisis line is one of most remarkable good news stories of the v. A. We have a case worker program, rip Rapid ResponseReferral Program and they work with the Veterans Crisis line when an individual is in crisis facing challenging Mental Health issues. We give them a warm hand off on the Veterans Crisis line. So theres good news stories at v. A. But the challenge is based off of our annual survey and what our members say is there are inconsistencies across the board and ill give you a quick example. The v. A. Medical center in washington, d. C. When i moved from ohio to Northern Virginia i went into the Medical Center and i missed my first appointment and this may sound silly but because there wasnt a parking spot available. So i didnt even get to experience whether the care was good or not because the access or the barrier to entry was so high. And they have a parking garage now and theyve addressed that issue. But thats one example where its not just about the care its about the other barriers that exist and one of our jobs and roles and responsibilities is to hold the v. A. Accountable so when our members come to us with an experience thats not acceptable, we raise that. And ill say this about the secretary bob mcdonald, one of the reasons weve actually had faith in bob is because, frankly, hes been responsive. I cant tell you how many members we have sent directly to bob and he fixs the problem. That shouldnt have to happen, frankly, and thats not scalable. That shows us and it shows our members he not only cares but to the previous callers point, it is the veterans v. A. So were going to continue to work hard and push hard to make sure the v. A. Continues the reforms. One of our big priorities, reforming government for todays veterans and military members. Lets get to travis in dayton, ohio, independent, active military. Travis, thanks for hanging on the line. Go ahead. Caller my point has to do with the fact that the Health Care System is very redundant. We have a civilian health care network. We have a d. O. D. Health care network, we have a v. A. Health care network, we have obamacare, we have medicaid, we have medicare. We have five to six Government HealthCare Organizations with billions and billions and billions and billions and billions of overhead costs and management. Is the v. A. Health care system even necessary . If you want to provide health care to veterans, you can give them an insurance policy that allows them access to the civilian health care network. The v. A. System appears to be redundant in my opinion. Any comments . Yeah, absolutely. First of all im from ohio so good to hear a caller buzz in from dayton. In terms of the v. A. Versus private care, you know, this is a really important conversation especially in the context of your previous segment where we talked about the president ial debates last night from our perspective theres this false narrative, this false choice of you either need a v. A. Because government provides the best health care or you need to privatize it. The fact of the matter is is that the v. A. Already facilitating care in the community. Its already happening. I think roughly this year there are about four and a half million more appointments with private physicians than there were last year. So its an interesting challenge to integrate that and im going to talk about that in a second but so the viewers understand and the president ial candidates need to talk about this, its not as simple as privatize the v. A. , give vouchers out or protect the v. A. Because it provides the best health care in the world. The bottom line is that veterans just like every american want to receive health care based off of their own calculus. Whether its where they live, how far they have to travel, how far they have to wait and those things are made with themselves, their family, perhaps they physician and so for some folks it does make sense to go to the v. A. Again using my own personal experience, i go to the v. A. For some things, not all things. I go to private physicians for other things that i feel more comfortable with. But as far as is the v. A. Necessary . We see from our members, we know from the research that rand and others have done that there is a huge gap between physicians at d.