On the recordApril 15, 2016
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge the Senate to quickly act on House-passed VA accountability legislation. According to recent VA Inspector General reports, wait time manipulation occurred at 40 VA facilities in 19 States. Yet, almost no one has seriously been held accountable for these failures. This isn't even including the most egregious example of failures, like the VA employee who was convicted of charges related to armed robbery and still couldn't be fired. The House has passed legislation to get at the root of this problem, and it is past time the Senate acts. H.R. 1994, the VA Accountability Act, contains my legislation that forces VA employees to solve problems for veterans. If they can't, then the VA needs to make room for someone who can. Our veterans are too important to us, and they are counting on Congress to deliver them the care they need and deserve. We have to send the VA accountability legislation to the President's desk now. ____________________
