Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) reached a bipartisan agreement Thursday to improve veterans’ access to health care and address serious problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs. Embattled Veterans Administration Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned last week over several problems within the agency, including long wait times at VA hospitals. There is a VA hospital in White River Junction, but it was not cited as one with such problems.
“While this is not the bill that I would have written, we have taken a significant step forward with this agreement,” said Sanders.
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At a time when VA medical facilities in parts of the country have waiting lists that are too long, this legislation would give veterans access to private doctors, community health centers, Department of Defense medical facilities and facilities funded by the Indian Health Service.
The bill would provide for the immediate firing of incompetent high-level officials but also includes an expedited appeals process to prevent the new authority from being abused for political purposes or other reasons.
The measure provides for the hiring of new medical personnel in an expedited manner at hospitals and clinics that lack enough doctors, nurses and other medical staff to provide quality care in a timely manner and ensures dedicated funding is available to hire health care professionals.
At a time when new construction is needed for VA health care around the country, this legislation allows VA to lease 26 new medical facilities that would expand access to care.
The bill also would allow veterans living more than 40 miles from a VA hospital or clinic to access more convenient private care.
The measure calls for independent commissions to look at how the VA can do a better job in terms of scheduling appointments as well as a commission on VA construction.
Among other veterans issues which have enjoyed widespread, bipartisan support in Congress, the bill would make certain that all recently-separate veterans taking advantage of the Post 9/11 GI Bill get in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. It also, for the first time, would extend Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits to surviving spouses of veterans who have died in the line of duty.
Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vermont) made the following statement after Senators Sanders and McCain announced a bipartisan agreement for reforms at the Department of Veterans Affairs:
“The cost of any war must include the cost of caring for warriors when they return home. That solemn commitment has been shaken by recent events. It is essential that we get to the bottom of what caused these problems and eliminate bureaucratic roadblocks to timely and high quality health care for veterans. Congress should act quickly on reforms to restore the confidence of veterans and their families in their health care system. I applaud the leadership of Senators Sanders and McCain.”
WASHINGTON, June 5, 2014 – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee