McNerney Reacts to Veterans Lawsuit Dismissal

Press Release

Today in San Francisco, U.S. District Court Judge Samuel Conti dismissed a lawsuit brought by veterans groups against the VA which alleged serious flaws in its mental health care system. Judge Conti said the court could "find no systemic violations system-wide that would compel district court intervention" and noted that the jurisdiction over the issues raised in the lawsuit belongs to Congress. In response, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11) issued the following statement.

"Every week seems to bring new evidence of disturbing behavior by the VA: covering up veteran suicides, encouraging medical professionals not to diagnose Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and - most recently - not informing veterans on an experimental drug protocol of FDA warnings about the drug's serious side effects.

"Our returning heroes have sacrificed for our country and they deserve far better from the agency charged with their care. Yet, today, a federal judge in San Francisco dismissed a case brought by veterans who tried to compel the VA to clean up its act.

"If Judge Conti is unwilling to order the VA to overhaul its delivery of mental health care, I am. As a member of the Veterans Affairs' Committee, I promise to continue working to see that our veterans are taken care of when they return from service and that we begin a thorough and complete investigation of the VA's care delivery system."

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