U.S. President Barack Obama conveyed his desire to make it up to the veterans on Tuesday by telling them that better access to mental health services and more affordable home loans are on the way.

Earlier this year, Obama was put to shame when a scandal erupted about the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) covering up the delays in its healthcare service delivery to ex-military staff. During the national convention of American Legion held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the president vowed to improve healthcare for veterans, Reuters detailed.

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In his speech, Obama said he will implement steps to help former military personnel have better access to mental health services and conduct further studies on suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder. He called the delays in delivering healthcare service "outrageous and inexcusable" and promised to find the root cause of the problem and fix it.

On lower housing loan costs, Obama said Wells Fargo & Co, Bank of America Corp, Quicken Loans and other banks will implement ways to help more military personnel own homes without being drowned in debt. Under the terms of this initiative, mortgage servicers will approach those who are qualified to avail lower loan rates instead of just waiting for them to walk in.

The home loan initiative will allow thousands of veterans' families to save money, the White House said. The change will give these families more than US$1,500 of savings every year because of the reduced interest rates provided to them, White House National Economic Council director Jeffrey Zients explained.

Public confidence in Obama had dwindled when the VA scandal erupted last spring. Just this month, the president inked a US$16.3-billion reform bill to fix the delays in healthcare services for veterans.

North Carolina, where Obama gave his recent speech, is of great importance because its present Democratic senator Kay Hagan is competing against Republican rival Thom Tillis in the upcoming elections.

North Carolina does not regard Obama very well and Hagan has detached herself from the president. She criticized Obama for not exerting enough effort to help the former military personnel in her state.

The president is hoping to maintain the dominance of the Democrats in the U.S. Senate during the November polls to give him better chances of implementing his agenda in the last two years of his term. However, recent surveys show Republicans need to secure six new positions to gain control in the senate.

TagsBarack Obama, U.S., North Carolina, American Legion, Charlotte, Reuters, Department of Veterans Affairs, Wells Fargo & Co, Bank of America Corp, Quicken Loans, Jeffrey Zients, Kay Hagan, Thom Tillis, Democrats, Republicans