U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the chairman of the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee, saw two of his bills on veterans issues sail through the House this week.
On Monday, the House passed by voice vote Millers bill giving the U.S. Veterans Affairs secretary the ability to recoup bonuses paid to underperfoming or incompetent VA employees. This bill had been a priority of Millers since last year as news of altered waiting lists at VA medical centers across the nation emerged. In Phoenix, at least 30 veterans whose names were on altered waiting lists died while awaiting care from VA facilities.
Miller explained the rationale behind his bill this week.
As we learned last Congress, behind nearly every VA scandal, theres a bonus, Miller said on Monday. Given that the department paid more than $380,000 in cash bonuses to top executives at 38 hospitals that are either under investigation for falsifying medical care wait times or where there have been long treatment delays, we need to give the VA secretary the authority to recoup any bonuses department employees collected based on false claims or exaggerated performance. Ideally, VA employees and executives who collected bonuses under false pretenses should be subject to prosecution when warranted, but at a minimum their bonuses should be paid back in full.
Millers bill had almost 10 co-sponsors, including U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla. The measure now heads to the Senate where it was sent to the Veterans Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
On Monday, the House passed Millers proposal allowing the VA to enter into three-year contracts with medically certified foster homes without opposition. Almost 30 members of Congress -- including Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw and Sunshine State Democrats U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and Frederica Wilson -- did not vote. This bill now heads to the Senate where, like the other piece of legislation, it was sent to the Veterans Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
Miller said it was important to give veterans choices for their medical treatment.
Congress has once again found common ground in support of bringing much-needed accountability to the Department of Veterans Affairs and providing more health-care choices to our nations veterans. Miller said. If signed into law, these bills would have a lasting impact on the way VA operates and on the lives of many veterans.
I applaud my House colleagues for supporting these important measures and I urge the Senate to pass them without delay, Miller added.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
