[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8966]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        VETERANS ADMINISTRATION

  (Mr. FITZPATRICK asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, our veterans risked their lives in 
service of our Nation. When they come home, they deserve to be treated 
with dignity and respect, especially by those they count on to provide 
them with essential medical care.
  The disturbing reports about the unethical treatment of our military 
men and women by the VA is not only an affront to those that we count 
on to protect our freedoms and our liberties, it highlights a systemic 
lack of accountability, starting at the top and permeating throughout 
the agency.
  Mr. Speaker, no veteran should pass away waiting for the care they 
need or the benefits that they deserve. The ineptitude of the VA is an 
affront to the sacrifice of the veterans who are turning to this agency 
for assistance and the taxpayers whose hard-earned dollars should be 
funding this worthy cause.
  While this week the House took action to empower the VA to rid itself 
of those who fail to meet their responsibilities with the passage of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act, there 
is still much work to be done.
  I firmly believe that sunlight is the best disinfectant, and I will 
continue to work to shine a bright light on the situation until we can 
assure that the VA provides the service and respect that our veterans 
deserve.

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