Senator Patty Murray is the Chair of the Senate Budget Committee and serves on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Her office issued the following today:
VIDEO: Murray to VA Nominee: “You are faced with a truly monumental task.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Murray Press Office
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 (202) 224-2834
Washington, D.C.
– Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the
Senate
Veterans’ Affairs Committee attended a committee hearing on the
nomination of Robert A. McDonald to be Secretary of the Department of
Veterans Affairs. At the hearing, Murray delivered remarks and
questioned McDonald on how he would improve trust and transparency
at the VA, and how he would provide oversight of VA facilities in
Washington
state.
WATCH
Murray’s Opening Remarks and
Questions
Transcript of
Murray questioning McDonald on VA facilities in Washington state:
MURRAY:
“You know I’ve talked with prior VA leaders about concerns with some
of the facilities in my home state of Washington. The VA’s Access Audit
flagged many of those facilities for some further investigation, and
the most recent wait time and quality data
that VA released shows shortcomings at Washington medical facilities.
And I have raised in particular some concerns about what’s happening
with the Spokane Medical Center, including whether staffing and budget
shortfalls are hurting health care for veterans.
If you’re confirmed… how are you
going to provide oversight of these facilities and make sure that the
resources are getting to the places where it’s needed?”
MCDONALD:
“I think that’s part of the forecasting and projecting that I was
talking about in conjunction with the strategic plan. What I heard from
Secretary Gibson
last week during his testimony was that the VA had not done a
bottoms-up forecast before and that he was having some trouble getting
that done. We’ve got to do a better job of that. We’ve got to be very
open and transparent with all of you, and all of our
constituencies as to what we’re forecasting, and then we have to put
the systems in place that can make sure our veterans are getting the
appropriate care. We’ve got to be able to have the doctors, the nurses,
the clinicians, on the ground to be able to do
that. I think digital technology will also play a role because it will
help us…VA is known for a very good electronic medical record, and if we
can get a scheduling system that is equally world class – and there’s
no reason we can’t – I think we’ll be able
to use that to better care for the veterans.”
Full text of Senator Murray’s Remarks:
“Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing.
“Just
last week, we heard about the current state of VA health care and the
Department’s efforts to address its numerous and diverse challenges.
“I’d
like to take this moment to thank Acting Secretary Gibson for stepping
up during this crisis and for taking immediate action to increase
transparency around wait
times, plan an external audit of VHA’s scheduling practices, and begin
the procurement of a modern scheduling system.
“As
Acting Secretary, he also identified $17.6 billion in critical funding
needs to help increase veterans access to care, including10,000 more
medical providers and
support staff, improved IT systems, and additional clinic space for
patients to receive care.
“The actions that he laid out before this Committee are important first steps.
“But
even with some of these policy changes and additional funding, it will
take time to see improvement and veterans will still be waiting far too
long for care.
“And
the Department’s ability to carry out its mission will remain hampered
as long as a number of key leadership vacancies go unfilled.
“Even
while we work to bring down wait times and improve accountability,
there are still many other serious challenges VA must address:
Twenty-two veterans still take
their own lives each day. Thousands of veterans are alone, coping with
their sexual assault. And while the Department has made commendable
progress, it will be an uphill battle as we work to eliminate veterans
homelessness and the claims backlog.
“The next Secretary will have to grapple with these, and many more issues, all on day one.
“Mr. McDonald, thank you for accepting this call to serve your fellow veterans
“You are faced with a truly monumental task.
“If
confirmed, you will be responsible for the Department’s $163 billion
budget, its 310,00 employees, and most importantly – the care of over 9
million veterans.
“The
next Secretary must build a VA that can meet the needs of veterans
today, while planning for the needs of millions of veterans in the
decades to come.
“And
in doing so, the next Secretary must overcome and transform a corrosive
culture, unworthy of the Department’s dedicated and talented medical
providers, who only
want to help veterans.
“The next Secretary must also reform the poor management and communication structures that currently exist at all levels of VHA.
“Mr.
McDonald, when we met in my office two weeks ago, you told me you were
one of the veterans lost in the system during your transition from the
military to civilian
life.
“I
trust you understand what a critical moment this is for VA and why we
must finally fix many of these systemic and cultural challenges.
“So
I look forward to hearing your plans for addressing these, and many
other, problems that will be discussed today, and how you will finally
strengthen the VA for
generations to come.
“Because
our men and women in uniform need -- and have earned – a VA that
provides high quality benefits and services, when and where they need
them.”
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Meghan Roh
Press Secretary | New Media Director
Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray
Mobile: (202) 365-1235
Office: (202) 224-2834