Political Quotes

“I first wish to thank my good friend from Louisiana for putting together a proposal that would ultimately increase veterans access to care. As does he, I believe our veterans are entitled to a VA system that provides them with the services they were promised--not only promised but to receive them in a timely manner. As my colleague from Louisiana mentioned, I support his efforts to authorize 27 VA clinics, and I cannot understand why the Senate is not acting on this commonsense proposal. I would also like to thank my other friends; for example, Senator Rubio from Florida, who is fighting to bring some sort of accountability to the VA. His bipartisan, bicameral proposal is a much needed step in the right direction to give the VA the tools to fire VA executives who are not doing their jobs. Unfortunately, after talking extensively with veterans in Nevada, I believe these problems of management, of accountability, and of efficiency extend well beyond the Veterans Health Administration. The Veterans Benefits Administration continues to struggle to eliminate the veterans disability claims backlog as it operates in what I consider to be a 1940s system here in the 21st century. There are more than 3,600 veterans in Nevada and nearly 300,000 nationwide who are stuck in a VA disability claims backlog. My home State of Nevada has the longest wait in the Nation at 348 days for a claim to be processed.…”