Phoenix VA Update

Statement

This week marks the third anniversary of the Phoenix VA scandal when brave whistleblowers revealed Arizona veterans were being kept on secret waiting lists, forced to wait months before seeing a doctor, and unable to access the care they needed.

We took immediate action when we learned of this tragedy. Not waiting for the Phoenix VA to fix the problems, we came together as a community to make sure Arizona veterans get the care they need. Over the last three years, we've worked tirelessly to ensure Arizona veterans and military family members have access to the benefits and care they've earned and deserve.

Earlier this week, we continued our work with Dr. Phil Roe, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, at the Phoenix VA where we met with VA leadership and program directors for updates on their progress and plans for how they will continue to improve

There has been some progress, but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure our veterans receive the best care. The first step is holding the VA accountable. We've been calling on the VA to be open and transparent about its failures and communicate regularly with the public and veterans about what the agency is doing to right its wrong.

Last month, the House passed a bill we introduced with Dr. Roe to give the Secretary of Veterans Affairs new authority to hold VA employees accountable and fire poorly performing employees. We've introduced this bill before and passed it through the House twice last Congress. We need the Senate to pass this bill and send it to the president.

We are honored to serve in Congress on behalf of Arizona families like yours. We always appreciate hearing from you on current topics and issues that are important to you. If there is an issue that concerns you, please let us know by clicking this link or by calling our Phoenix office: 602-956-2285. Be sure to stay connected through our Facebook and Twitter accounts, and let us know how we can be of service.

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