Rep. Ellison Statement on the Resignation of Eric Shinseki

Statement

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today after the resignation of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki.

"The revelations in the Inspector General's report on the Phoenix VA hospital are deeply disturbing. About 1,700 veterans were purposefully left off the electronic waitlist and 84% of veterans waited more than 14 days for an appointment. Our veterans have earned far better.

"General Eric Shinseki's resignation proves his commitment to putting our veterans before his career and signals that the VA is ready to move forward. I commend General Shinseki for his many years of service to our country and to our veterans. I urge the president to nominate a secretary who can turnaround this abysmal situation immediately. I urge Congress to provide the new secretary with the funds to build a VA for the future.

"During my visits to the Minneapolis VA hospital, I have received positive reports from veterans and doctors. But we must always remain vigilant on behalf of the men and women who risk everything to defend our nation. The status quo at some VA facilities around the country is unacceptable. We must keep our promise to our veterans that if they put their lives on the line, we will care for them when they come home."

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