University City Community Association Newsletter - October 2014

http://www.universitycitynews.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Newsletter-UCCA-October-2014.pdf

Making Necessary Reforms at the VA

Earlier this summer, Congress passed, and the President signed, legislation to make necessary reforms at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It was a rare point of true bipartisanship that will bring needed relief to our veterans and begin to address the failures at the VA. But this will not be the last piece to solving the puzzle – it will take a concerted effort and constant oversight to root out the culture of complacency and ineptitude that has left too many of our veterans in the dark.

The reforms include provisions to increase access to healthcare for veterans by allowing the VA to lease more facilities, fill staff shortages, and let veterans see non-VA providers in certain situations. It will also improve accountability, allow veterans to access in-state tuition rates at public universities, and expand counseling care for victims of sexual assault.

Washington press credited my effort to find a bipartisan solution, when I led a motion to instruct House leadership to stop bickering and agree with a Senate approved version of the bill, as a catalyst for this final agreement.

Now that this legislation has become law, Congress and community leaders must continue to provide aggressive oversight over the VA to ensure that our veterans are receive the benefits and care that they were promised and deserve.

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