Michael Bennet: “this amendment will help improve access to care for veterans all across the country and fill a huge unmet need. It…”

“this amendment will help improve access to care for veterans all across the country and fill a huge unmet need. It provides funding to hire more doctors, nurses, social workers, and mental health professionals to serve our veterans. It will also help improve VA medical facilities by supporting upgrades and minor construction improvements. In Colorado, our VA system has been plagued by long waiting times and a lack of access. Across the State, we have shortages of physicians, nurses, and mental health professionals, particularly in rural areas such as Alamosa and the San Luis Valley. We also know all too well in Colorado that much more accountability is needed within the VA, and we will continue to work to improve a bureaucracy that has plagued access to quality care. The 400,000 veterans in Colorado and across the Nation deserve the best care we can offer. They deserve what they have been promised. This amendment is fully paid for, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this amendment. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.”