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Politics

Marco Rubio Brings Back VA Reform Proposal

January 23, 2017 - 9:15am
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has brought back his proposal to reform the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 

Last week, Rubio reintroduced his “VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act.” Back in July, Rubio teamed up with then U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., who was serving as the chairman of the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee, to bring out the bill last summer. 

The bill adds more “protections for whistleblowers,” would “increase flexibility to remove VA employees for poor performance or misconduct” and “reform the department’s disability benefits appeals process.” The proposal also closes loopholes from the “VA Accountability Act” from Miller and Rubio which passed the House in 2015 but stalled in the Senate. 

Rubio explained why the bill was needed when he brought it out back in July. 

“For far too long, veterans have been victims of a broken and incompetent VA system,” said Rubio. “To make real progress in fixing the VA, we need to tackle the first problem plaguing the VA, which is the lack of accountability among employees. It is simply unacceptable that it can take years to fire one employee for poor management or misconduct.

“The VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act...goes further to address the excessive backlog of appeals found at the department that have spiraled out of control,” Rubio added. “To give our veterans the care they deserve, it is crucial this legislation is passed and signed into law.”

Rubio brought back this proposal as well as more than a dozen other bills that never crossed the finish line, focusing on everything from former President Barack Obama’s health-care law to Second Amendment issues. 

“In this new Congress, I will continue pursuing solutions that will make a positive difference in the lives of Floridians and all Americans,” said Rubio when he reintroduced his bills. “By reintroducing this legislation today, we’re moving forward with our work to stop a taxpayer-funded bailout of health insurance companies under Obamacare, keep guns out of terrorists’ hands while protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners, improve hurricane forecasting, modernize the VA, and reform the disastrous HUD inspections process that has jeopardized countless lives in Florida and across the country.”

Rubio sounded an optimistic note since President Donald Trump was now in the White House and Republicans controlled both chambers on Capitol Hill. 

“Now that Republicans control the Senate, House and White House, it is my hope that we can pass these – and many other – meaningful, commonsense solutions to the problems facing our country,” Rubio said. 

The VA reform bill has the support of a number of groups including the American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) and Student Veterans of America.

Diego Echeverri, CVA’s Florida spokesman, praised the bill on Wednesday. 

““If passed, Rubio's VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act would help put an end to the horror stories we hear daily about VA negligence, incompetence, and corruption,” Echeverri insisted. “CVA urges Congress to pass this bill immediately. Veterans' lives are on the line."

Comments

38 USC 7105 (d)(1) currently read as follows (1) Where the claimant, or the claimant’s representative, within the time specified in this chapter, files a notice of disagreement with the decision of the agency of original jurisdiction, such agency will take such development or review action as it deems proper under the provisions of regulations not inconsistent with this title. If such action does not resolve the disagreement either by granting the benefit sought or through withdrawal of the notice of disagreement, such agency shall prepare a statement of the case. A statement of the case shall include the following: 38 USC 7105 (d)(1) proposed to read as follows (1) Where the claimant, or the claimant’s representative, within the time specified in this chapter, files a notice of disagreement with the decision of the agency of original jurisdiction, such agency will take such development or review action as it deems proper under the provisions of regulations not inconsistent with this title. If such action does not resolve the disagreement granting the benefit sought or through withdrawal of the notice of disagreement, such agency shall prepare a statement of the case within 2 years or longer with claimant’s concurrence from date of the claimant’s notice of disagreement otherwise the decision denial is reversed. A statement of the case shall include the following:

my problem Is with the people they hire who, while americans, do not speak real English. this is not aimed at any one race. I also have a problem with the fact that I am constantly told to "call" about stuff. I am completely deaf on the left side and very bad on the right with severe tinntus. do not understand why the VA cannot do texting, other than using secure messaging on the healthevet website I am pretty well cut off unless my wife can take time during work to answer or call about specific problems. thank you for your open forum so I can bitch. nice to get it off my chest, AGAIN.

It is time for the new regime to put up or shut up. I hope this is the start and they make some actual headway. The VA typically stalls, misinterprets or ignores Congress' mandates. They've been doing it for years, why stop now?!?I It might be too late for me to enjoy any reforms but I will support any positive changes so our next generation of soldiers don't have to deal with a broken, corrupt and uncaring federal agency that is supposed to be caring for us.

THANK YOU SENATOR RUBIO. WHEN YOU GET THINGS ROLLING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THE SWAMP CLEANING AT VA COULD BEGIN RIGHT HERE IN MY BACKYARD ATS THE VA ADMINISTRATION AT 1240 EAST 9 TH STREET IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. OUR VA MEDICAL MED. CENTER AT WADE PARK IS IN GREAT SHAPE....BUT THE BUREAUCRATS WHO MAKE COMP &PEN DECISIONS ARE INCOMPETENT, HIGHLY ERRONEOUS AND CARELESS WITH THE LIVES OF US VETERANS...ESPECIALLY US VIETNAM VETS. I AM SO SAD TO SAY.REGRETFULLY YOURS-DISGRUNTLED VIETNAM VET.

Our experience has been wonderful with cleveland VA. Maybe it is because he is 100% disabled for ptsd but my only complaint was that it took 2 years for VA to decide. He is vietnam era, not in vietnam but as a ranger they found some other nasty places to send him. If uou want to find out whats going on ask the wives. They are often the ones dealing withe va because their husbands are pretty worn out and have trouble with handling details.

NOT ALL VETERAN'S HOSPITALS HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS ARE SET UP THE SAME. THE SALT LAKE CITY SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT IN MEDICAL CARE AND FOLLOW UP. THIS IS WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS OF THE CONTINUOUS UNDERSTAFFING. NURSE PRACTIONERS ARE NOW FEDERALLY APPROVED FOR LICENSED INDEPENDENT PRACTIONERS. SINCE NURSE PRACTIONERS CARRY THE BULK OF THE NUMBERS OF PATIENTS, THIS WILL FURTHER IMPROVE PATIENT CARE.

Waiting to see this happen. Too many vets suffering needlessly because of the government that promised to take care of them.

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