Cleta Mitchell: “What has been discussed here are the conditions at these hospitals, other hospitals and the ones that you have mentioned…”

“What has been discussed here are the conditions at these hospitals, other hospitals and the ones that you have mentioned over here; and it is absolutely unacceptable for any official to have had knowledge of the dilapidated conditions at Walter Reed, only to stay silent and do nothing. They must be held accountable. This Congress went for years without conducting any oversight whatsoever. And the American people sent us here to do a job. The American people sent us here to get to the bottom of this. That means asking the tough questions and leaving no stone unturned to make sure that this never happens again. The problems at Walter Reed cannot be fixed with new drywall and paint. Inadequate outpatient care and confusing, time-consuming bureaucracy can impact soldiers throughout their entire life. We owe it to our soldiers and veterans to understand how this systemic failure could increase their needs in the future. One of the things we are finding out is that the problems in the military medical system extend far beyond dilapidated buildings. Too many soldiers are finding an endless stream of red tape as they try and secure the benefits they have earned in the VA system.”