“Until the VA starts serving veterans first and themselves second, our vision to establish a 21st Century VA that can deliver the best care in the world is only a hallucination.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) released the following statement after the announcement of a scheduled vote on H.R. 1994, the VA Accountability Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of July.

“The problems at the VA are deeply rooted at every level of this obsolete government model, and it’s failing veterans with long wait times, insufficient care, and unresponsive management.  Our veterans sacrificed so much in defense to protect America.  When they return home, they shouldn’t be stuck waiting in line for months or years just to see their doctor.  VA officials at any level should be held accountable and, if necessary, be fired.  Until the VA starts serving veterans first and themselves second, our vision to establish a 21st Century VA that can deliver the best care in the world is only a hallucination.  I applaud the work of Chairman Jeff Miller and the Veterans Affairs Committee to make this vote possible.”

Last year, when the abhorrent treatment of veterans surfaced, the House quickly passed H.R. 3230, the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 to help make veterans’ lives better, from economic opportunity to accountability within the VA. It was later signed into law.