MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: Department of Veterans' Affairs

Interview

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MADDOW: Apparently the reason for the delay when we thought we were going to see Senator Sanders drop his big bill to try to fix the VA today, the reason for the delay was apparently good news, because apparently behind the scenes Senator Sanders was working out some sort of compromise deal with a Republican senator, one named John McCain, and because they were able to come to an agreement, that should mean that it won`t just be Senator Sanders bringing up his bill again and the Republicans all standing up against it. This could mean that the Republicans might actually vote for the bill.

Pinch yourself. Go ahead, I`m quite sure you`re actually awake.

Joining us now is Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Well, Senator Sanders, it`s a real pleasure to see you. Thanks for being here.

SEN. BERNIE SANDER (I), VETERANS AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN: Good to be with you, Rachel.

MADDOW: So you could knock me over with a feather. But tell me about the -- how satisfied you are with the deal that you and Senator McCain struck today, but substantively and whether you think this means you could move ahead.

SANDERS: Well, in terms of (INAUDIBLE) point, I think with Senator McCain on board, I think with a number of Republicans on board, I think we stand a very good chance of getting something significant passed. To be very honest with you, this bill does not go anywhere near as far as I would like to go in addressing the very serious problems within the veterans` community and within the VA. But it does a lot of very good things.

I think, as you know, Rachel, the issue that we`re mostly concerned about now, the waiting times that exist in various facilities around the country. And we deal with that reasonably aggressively. What we say to veterans, if there is a long waiting period, you can go to a private doctor, you can go to a community health center, Indiana House Service, Department of Defense facility, you can get the care you need in a timely manner outside of the VA. If you are 40 miles away from a VA facility you can go to a private doctor.

Importantly, Rachel, what we also did is put $500 million into the hiring of new doctors and nurses and other personnel. Because at the end of the day, it`s my view, that in many parts of the country, the VA hospitals and clinics are simply understaffed. They don`t have the capability of providing care in a timely manner. We addressed that. We also in this bill provide funding for 26 new major medical facilities around the country which have kind of been held on the shelf for a number of years.

We are going to get out and build them. And that should help a whole lot of communities around the country in terms of providing good care to the veterans.

MADDOW: When the House Republicans passed their own piece of veterans legislation, one of the things that they really foregrounded and pushed to the top of their priorities list, was essentially making it easier to fire VA personnel now. Now you had raised the concern that while bad people ought to be able to be kicked out, you also had to protect whistleblowers and you wanted to make sure that making it easier to fire people meant that you couldn`t fire people just for a political reason or to get rid of them.

Did you come to any sort of agreement or compromise on that that you`re comfortable with?

SANDERS: Yes. Again, it doesn`t go as far as I would like it to go, but I think Senator McCain accepted the language that I offered, which says that if you have in competent or dishonest supervisors we can get rid of them immediately. But they do have a right to an expedited appeal. And the reason that I put that due process language in there is I worry very much if you have a new president and a new secretary, they could fire hundreds and hundreds of high-level supervisors for political reasons.

And I don`t want to see the VA become a politically oriented agency. It`s a major health care facility. We need good people. Politics should not be involved. Also in terms of whistleblowers. Also in terms if you have racism or sexism, and somebody gets fired not for right reasons but for wrong reasons I want that person to be able to have at least an expedited ability to appeal.

MADDOW: What`s the time frame here? When do you expect there to be a binding vote here?

SANDERS: The leadership wants to move this very quickly. My staff and Senator McCain`s staff are writing the language, dotting the I`s and crossing the T`s right now. And I would hope very much we can get this on the floor next week.

MADDOW: They said it couldn`t be done.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont -- not there yet but an amazing development to be able to report tonight. Congratulations on making it this far, sir. Good luck. Keep us posted.

SANDERS: Thank you.

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