[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 70 (Friday, May 9, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN SUPPORT OF VA SECRETARY ERIC SHINSEKI

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 9, 2014

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House 
Veterans' Affairs Committee, I rise today in strong support of 
Secretary Shinseki and his leadership of the Department of Veterans' 
Affairs. No veterans should ever go without the healthcare they 
deserve, but it is important to not just focus on anecdotal problems 
but to look at what the Secretary and the VA have accomplished.
  The VA operates 1,700 sites of care, and conducts approximately 85 
million appointments each year, which comes to 236,000 health care 
appointments each day.
  The latest American Customer Satisfaction Index, an independent 
customer service survey, ranks VA customer satisfaction among Veteran 
patients among the best in the nation and equal to or better than 
ratings for private sector hospitals.
  Since its peak in March of 2013, the VA has reduced the benefits 
claims backlog by nearly 50 percent, on track to eliminate the backlog 
in 2015. VA has also implemented an automated electronic claims 
processing system to better serve Veterans into the future. In 2013, VA 
paid out $66 billion in compensation claims to 4.5 million eligible 
Veterans.
  Under the leadership of Secretary Shinseki, VA has also greatly 
expanded access to earned benefits for Veterans of all eras.
  In addition, VA granted presumption of service connection for three 
new Agent-Orange-related conditions: Parkinson's disease, hairy cell 
and other chronic b-cell leukemias, and ischemic heart disease; and for 
Gulf War Veterans, VA granted presumption of service connection for 
nine diseases associated with Gulf War Illness.
  For all combat Veterans with verifiable PTSD--World War II, Korea, 
Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Operation Desert 
Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, among others--VA loosened the evidentiary 
standard to receive benefits.
  Since 2009, VA has reduced the estimated number of homeless Veterans 
by 24 percent. They have conducted over six million clinical visits 
with over 600,000 Veterans who were homeless, at risk of homelessness 
(including formerly homeless). In 2013 alone, VA served more than 
240,000 Veterans who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless--21 
percent more than the year before.
  The VA has made progress for veterans of the future by providing 
Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits to more than one million 
students and decreasing the disability claims backlog by nearly 50 
percent.
  I welcome Secretary Shinseki's announcement that the Veterans Health 
Administration (VHA) will complete a nationwide access review at all 
health care facilities. As stated, the purpose of this review is to 
ensure a full understanding of VA's policy and continued integrity in 
managing patient access to care. As part of the review during the next 
several weeks, a national face-to-face audit will be conducted at all 
clinics for every VA Medical Center.
  I am confident in the health care our veterans in Florida are 
receiving. With eight VA Medical Centers in Florida, Georgia and Puerto 
Rico and over 55 clinics serving over 1.6 million veterans, the care 
veterans are getting is the best in the world.
  Over 2,312 physicians and 5,310 nurses are serving the 546,874 
veterans who made nearly 8 million visits to the facilities in our 
region. Of the total 25,133 VA employees, one-third are veterans.
  In 2013, 37,221 women received health care services at VA hospitals 
and clinics in Florida, South Georgia and the Caribbean--more than any 
other VA healthcare network nationwide. This means that more than 75 
percent of women Veterans enrolled for VA healthcare in VISN 8 were 
seen by providers in 2013.
  I am especially pleased at the new Jacksonville Replacement 
Outpatient Clinic that was recently opened. The two-story, 133,500 
square foot clinic provides state of the art technology and increased 
specialty services including diagnostics, improved laboratory 
facilities, expansion of women's services, minor ambulatory surgical 
procedures, expanded mental health telehealth services and additional 
audiology.
  When opened, the Orlando VA Medical Center will include 134 inpatient 
beds, an outpatient clinic, parking garages, chapel and central energy 
plant. Currently, the 120-bed community living center and 60-bed 
domiciliary are open and accepting veterans.
  The VA provides quality timely healthcare to our veterans. We have a 
duty to make sure that all those who have defended this country when 
called upon receive the care they have earned through their service. I 
support the Secretary in his nationwide access review and look forward 
to hearing his report when it is finished.

                          ____________________