9-16 NWR Veteran Care
Days after meeting with local veterans in Medford, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) announced that the House of Representatives has passed bipartisan legislation to bring accountability and reform to the Veterans Administration (VA). Walden took to the House floor in support of the bill, the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act (H.R. 5620). Please see below for abbreviated remarks.
"On Saturday morning in Medford, Oregon, I met with about 40 veterans who are furious about the delays in getting access to care, and the fact that they can't maintain providers at the local facility.
"And everything in this bill, interestingly enough, came up in our discussion. 'How come you're paying bonuses to people that aren't doing their job?'—this bill fixes that. 'Why is it when we raise complaints internally, there's retribution?'—this bill protects whistleblowers. 'Why isn't there more transparency about what happens inside the VA?'—this bill gets at that. Accountability and transparency will lead us to a better VA.
"We need to reform the VA. We need to take care of our men and women in uniform. We need to claw back bonuses. We need to get this ship righted. This is a fundamentally broken system that needs repair—I think we all agree on that, that's not a partisan issue.
"Most of all, we need to start with what matters, and that is the veteran. That, ladies and gentlemen, should be our foremost commitment and our starting place: what's best for that veteran and that veteran's family."
A recent study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that on average, it can take up to one year or longer to remove a permanent civil servant in the VA and other federal agencies. Under the VA's existing civil service rules, the department often fails to hold misbehaving employees accountable for their actions, and when they do take disciplinary action, it rarely occurs in a swift and meaningful way. The VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act would give the department more flexibility to remove VA employees for poor performance or misconduct.
The legislation would also increase whistleblower protections for individuals who speak up about misconduct, and would recoup bonuses from undeserving employees.
Additionally, the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act takes important steps to reform the department's broken disability benefits appeals process. By allowing veterans to waive a hearing, limit the introduction of new evidence, and have the option to bring their appeal to a regional office, this bill streamlines the antiquated appeals process for VA disability benefits.
Elsewhere, according to Seattle's King news, a wolf advisory group met late last week amid ongoing controversy surrounding the killing of the Profanity Peak wolf pack in Ferry County.
Opponents said there was no reason the state should have ordered all 11 wolves in the pack to be killed. State Fish and Wildlife agents said they are precisely following state protocol when it comes to removing a wolf pack.
