Ann Kirkpatrick: “Congressman Rahall, thank you for your strong support of one of the most important provisions in the Senate amendments…”

“Congressman Rahall, thank you for your strong support of one of the most important provisions in the Senate amendments to H.R. 3230. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this motion to instruct the conferees. Both the Senate and the House amendments will expand access to non-VA care for veterans, but this program will only last for 2 years. It will only address the current emergency by ensuring those veterans who are waiting too long for appointments receive timely care. If we do not address the VA's doctor, nurse, and medical support staff shortage now, we will face the same crisis again in 2 years. Just yesterday, I learned that the one physician serving the community- based outpatient clinic in Flagstaff, Arizona, where I live, is leaving, and there is no physician identified as his replacement. In another VA clinic in my district, the one doctor there is planning to retire, without a replacement doctor identified. Our rural veterans struggle to access care, and VA hospitals and clinics must be able to recruit and retain doctors and nurses to serve veterans in rural and underserved communities. Currently, 10 percent of all health care provider positions in the VA remain unfilled. By ensuring that the VA has the ability to quickly hire doctors and nurses and fill these positions, we help the VA ensure it has the capacity to provide timely, world-class care to our veterans before this 2-year program ends.…”