VA Reform Passes House With Florida GOP Representatives Leading the Charge

The U.S. House voted 256 – 170 on Wednesday in a favor of a  bill giving the VA secretary more room to fire underperfoming employees. The measure was championed by the two Florida Republicans in charge of the House Veterans Affairs Committee: Chairman Jeff Miller and Vice-Chairman Gus Bilirakis. 

Party lines mostly held but U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., joined the Republican majority in voting for the bill. Last year, the VA. was rocked when news emerged that veterans had been included on altered wait lists at VA medical centers and died awaiting treatment. 

 “Those brave women and men who return from serving our country should be able to receive timely access to quality care. That is the very least we can do for our veterans,” Bilirakis said after the measure passed. “I believe that most employees at the VA are dedicated to their duty and our nation’s heroes. However, wait times persist, and a culture of mediocrity has permeated the VA – too many employees perform terribly and yet, are not fired. Sometimes, these people even continue to collect paychecks while they are suspended.

“The only way to change the culture at the VA is to systematically remove the individuals who are failing our veterans,” Bilirakis added. “Anything less is an affront to our nation’s heroes - a slap in the face to those who have served.

The House also passed a measure sending more than $3 billion from the Veteran’s Choice fund to fund VA hospitals. The VA said hospitals would close without more funding.
 
“The VA should be accountable for the promises they make,” Bilirakis concluded. “These brave men and women who serve our country should not suffer because of VA mismanagement. Closing hospitals is not an option. Our veterans have sacrificed too much. When our brave service members come home, we have to make sure they get the world-class care that matches their world-class service to our nation. I am happy to see Congress stepping up where the VA has failed.”