WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) applauded the House passage today of H.R. 4810, the bipartisan Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014, for which she is an original co-sponsor.

“We must continue to put our veterans first, and by making it easier for them to access quality care, we can ensure that Eastern Washington’s veterans remain a top priority. It is unacceptable to see our American heroes put on a backburner with delayed appointments, and it is unacceptable to expect veterans who live miles and miles from a VA facility to travel every time they need care. I am proud to co-sponsor legislation that will immediately help our veterans, and while we have much more work to do, this legislation is a step toward bringing much-needed change to a broken VA system.”

The Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014 would enable veterans who live over 40 miles from a VA facility to receive non-VA care, and guarantees those veterans who have experienced extensive wait times access to non-VA care. Additionally, this bipartisan legislation suspends bonuses for all VA employees for the next two years.