[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             SCANDAL AT THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

  (Mr. YODER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the chorus drawing 
attention to the appalling situation with the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. We have learned of the death of 40 veterans due to drawn-out 
wait times for medical care at facilities in Arizona. Even more 
disturbing is the coverup to not allow scrutiny and awareness of these 
tragedies. This may just be the tip of the iceberg.
  These men and women offered their lives defending the freedoms of our 
Nation, and yet our Nation can't afford them the decency of prompt 
medical care.
  Even with these sad and tragic cases, there are still hundreds of 
thousands of veterans who are waiting in line for services, medical 
care, and compensation for disabilities they received while serving our 
great Nation.
  It is time for Congress to take swift action to demand better results 
and greater accountability. It is time that Congress reform the 
veterans health care system to allow greater flexibility and more 
options so that veterans are not stuck waiting for care.
  Mr. Speaker, these men and women have earned benefits through their 
service to our Nation. We must keep our promises, and we must honor 
these American heroes.

                          ____________________