Owens hears concerns on VA, student visas

Staff Sgt. Gheorghe Banaduc Jr. fought back tears as he recounted his story.

He bought a house in Watertown for his family in 2008 that he thought was perfect.

When he arrived, though, he found rotting walls, a decaying attic and a collapsing roof — issues not mentioned in a home-inspection report partially overseen by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

"What are people like me supposed to do when we are being taken advantage of for what we do to serve our country?" he asked Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, during a town hall meeting Sunday at Jefferson Community College.

"We purchased a home thinking, 'Great, I'm going to use my VA benefits; I'm going to get a house for us. Everything will be good,'" said Sgt. Banaduc, now with the Fort Drum Warrior in Transition Unit. "The VA is supposed to come in and make sure the house is habitable. If anyone went in the attic they would have seen all the rot and mold visibly, but apparently, because it's a VA loan, it's guaranteed money."

Mr. Owens didn't have an answer for Sgt. Banaduc. The congressman assured the sergeant he'd look into the situation, as well as other VA issues brought up, including concerns over health care at the Veterans Affairs clinic in Watertown.

"I can certainly sympathize with the miserable situation you are in," he said. "We'll contact the VA and find out what their home inspector did or didn't do and see what remedies are available to you."

Another issue discussed was the U.S.'s student visa policy. Michael F. Ring, Adams Center, said a closer look should be taken at the visa policy and restrictions to "allow the people that really want to come here and be productive to have a shot at doing it."

Mr. Owens said he supports broad-based immigration reform that includes student visas.

"Getting student visas handled appropriately so that people can get into the United States, get an education and return to their countries is an appropriate thing to do," he said. "The process that is required for visas is also protection for us, to make sure we know who is coming into the country."

Albert H. "Bert" Bowers, Chaumont, co-chairman of the Coalition for the Preservation of the Golden Crescent and Thousand Islands Region, brought up concerns about wind projects.

"My frustration is that when I go to the federal and state agencies, I get back the same propaganda the American wind industry puts out," Mr. Bowers said. "It doesn't seem the government has really taken a look at this."

Mr. Owens said his view of wind energy is that it should be handled locally, adding he was bothered by the fact that Mr. Bowers was not given "both sides of the coin" when he went to the agencies for information.