On the recordNovember 18, 2024
Madam Speaker, I am a decorated Army combat veteran who served in the Vietnam war. I know how well and how much the sacrifices our servicemembers make to defend our Nation. Access to timely healthcare for our veterans is mission critical for the VA, and failure to deliver is unacceptable. In 2014, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs discovered that 40 veterans died while waiting for medical care. This is just one example. My bill, the VA Same-Day Scheduling Act, will ensure that no veteran is more than one phone call away from the care they have been promised. I am encouraged that the spirit of the bill is included in the Elizabeth Dole act which requires a plan to get the VA to same-day scheduling. This is a step in the right direction to fix that bureaucratic travesty. {time} 1715





