[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10126]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            VOTE EXPLANATION

  Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I wish to state for the record my strong 
support for S. 2450, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, 
Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014. I also wish to state for 
the record that, though I was unfortunately already traveling to my 
son's high school graduation in Oregon at the time the vote was called, 
I would have voted aye on this legislation had I been present.
  I was among the original cosponsors of this bill because I believe 
strongly that the VA system must do right by our veterans. Our veterans 
have stood up for us, and we must stand up for them.
  Recent reports highlight the urgent need both for greatly increased 
accountability within the VA health system and for greater resources to 
meet the needs of increasing numbers of veterans who are turning to the 
VA for health care. The current situation of extremely long wait 
times--and in some cases, secret waiting lists--is 100 percent 
unacceptable and must be fixed. Those who are responsible for these 
failings or any efforts to cover them up should swiftly lose their 
jobs. If they broke the law, then they should be prosecuted as well. 
Going forward, we must ensure that the VA system has the doctors and 
the resources it needs to give our vets the timely, top-notch care they 
deserve.
  This bill gives the VA the power both to fire the administrators who 
need to be held accountable and to hire the additional doctors and 
nurses needed to improve the system. In addition, it contains a 
bipartisan provision I have worked on with Senator Heller to expand 
education benefits for spouses of servicemembers who die in the line of 
duty. These are important improvements for our veterans and their 
families, and I am proud to support them.
  I am very pleased to see this legislation move forward. I wish to 
once again state my strong support, and I urge the House to take up and 
pass this bill without delay.

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