US House Rep Jeff Miller (above) is the Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. His office issued the following statement on Thursday:
Aug 7, 2014
WASHINGTON — Before President Obama signed the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 into law, Chairman Jeff Miller released the following statement:
“I am pleased President Obama has finally recognized what we have been telling administration officials for years: that VA’s widespread and systemic lack of accountability is jeopardizing the health of veterans and contributing to all of the department’s most pressing problems. I am unable to attend today’s signing ceremony due to a pair of previously scheduled oversight trips, including a visit to the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, with fellow House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs member Rep. Beto O’Rourke. But I sincerely hope the president views this event as more than just a photo-op or speaking engagement. Instead, it should serve as a wakeup call. VA’s problems festered because administration officials ignored or denied the department’s challenges at every turn. In order to prevent history from repeating itself, President Obama must become personally involved in solving VA’s many problems. A good place for him to start would be to meet with family members and veterans who have been struck by the VA scandal, order the department to cooperate with the congressional committees investigating VA and force DoD and VA to work together to establish a joint electronic health record integrated across all DoD and VA components.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
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Related
Chairman Miller letter to President Obama
May, 21, 2013