[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 58 (Friday, April 15, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H1756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VA ACCOUNTABILITY LEGISLATION
(Mr. BENISHEK asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. BENISHEK. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge the Senate to quickly
act on House-passed VA accountability legislation.
According to recent VA Inspector General reports, wait time
manipulation occurred at 40 VA facilities in 19 States. Yet, almost no
one has seriously been held accountable for these failures.
This isn't even including the most egregious example of failures,
like the VA employee who was convicted of charges related to armed
robbery and still couldn't be fired.
The House has passed legislation to get at the root of this problem,
and it is past time the Senate acts.
H.R. 1994, the VA Accountability Act, contains my legislation that
forces VA employees to solve problems for veterans. If they can't, then
the VA needs to make room for someone who can. Our veterans are too
important to us, and they are counting on Congress to deliver them the
care they need and deserve.
We have to send the VA accountability legislation to the President's
desk now.
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