Tester statement on Senate’s passage of VA reform bill
(U.S. SENATE) - Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement after joining a bipartisan group of Senators in voting to increase access to health care for veterans:
"Our nation's veterans have earned the very best care. This bill begins to address many of the transparency, accountability and access to care issues that are plaguing the VA. While this is a step in the right direction, we must continue to look for ways to live up to the promises we made to our veterans."
The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act forces the VA to identify staffing shortages and gives the Department authority to fill those positions, allows veterans to seek care from outside the VA system, and requires the VA to publish wait time goals for every VA medical center. The bill passed in a 93 - 3 vote.
Senator Tester - Montana's only member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee - recently announced a statewide veterans listening tour which kicks off this weekend in Anaconda.
