Daines Statement on VA Secretary Shnseki's Resignation
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Steve Daines released the following statement concerning the resignation of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki from the Obama administration:
"Secretary Shinseki's resignation is the first step to restoring accountability to the VA system. We've asked a lot of our veterans, and owe a great deal to them in return. They simply have not been getting the care they deserve from the current system that is bogged down by bureaucracy and a failure of leadership. While it is a positive sign to see Secretary Shinseki taking responsibility, it is imperative we push ahead in our effort to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs to better serve all of our nation's veterans and treat them with the respect, dignity and honor that they earned in service to our nation. Senate Demohttp://daines.house.gov/press-releases/daines-statement-on-va-secretary-shinsekis-resignation/crats must stop blocking bipartisan legislation that the House has passed to reform the VA and end the systemic "business as usual' culture that harms our veterans."
Daines first called for Secretary Shinseki to resign on May 7, following similar calls from national veterans' organizations.
Daines has long called for reforms to address longstanding delays in addressing veterans' benefits claims and to ensure that the VA more efficiently and effectively meets Montana veterans' needs.
Daines is a cosponsor of the "Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act" which would address the widespread and systemic lack of accountability for senior executives in the VA by giving the VA Secretary more latitude to discipline and fire executives who presided over negligence or mismanagement. The bill passed the House with strong bipartisan support but was blocked in the Senate.
Daines also recently helped pass the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, which provides $7.5 billion for programs designed to address veterans' mental health needs and increases funding for suicide prevention outreach by $20 million.
Source