Shaheen Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators in Introducing Legislation to Improve Staffing at VA Health Centers

Statement

Last week, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing the Health Care Staffing Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to make common-sense changes in staffing policies at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and improve veterans' care at VA health care facilities. U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the legislation, and Shaheen has joined as an original cosponsor.

At many VA health centers around the country, veterans face wait times of weeks or even months for an appointment. These severe roadblocks to providing timely and quality health care to veterans stem in part from policies that make the recruitment and retention of medical staff extremely difficult. The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would reduce bureaucratic obstacles to make it easier for the VA to boost staffing at VA health centers and reduce wait times. The legislation would also make it easier for servicemembers who have served in medical roles to transfer directly into the VA system and make it easier to transfer or share medical staff and services across VA facilities.

"Our veterans deserve the highest quality health care and support, and no red tape or bureaucratic obstacles should stand in their way," said Shaheen. "This bipartisan legislation will increase staffing at VA health centers by providing an expanded pool of providers and removing bureaucratic credentialing systems, thereby improving care and reducing wait times for the men and women who served our country. It's unacceptable that veterans have to wait for so long to receive medical support, and I will continue to work across the aisle to improve the quality of their health care."

The Health Care Staffing Improvement Act has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR).

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