WASHINGTON, D.C. – With White House officials visiting Ohio VA facilities today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee – announced his support for legislation aimed at ensuring accountability at the VA while improving the delivery of health care provided to our nation’s veterans.

“Our veterans deserve the highest quality of care, and that means restoring accountability within senior ranks of the VA. This legislation empowers the Department to make fair, quick, and meaningful personnel changes that remove poor performing executives and hold those who are found manipulating data accountable for their actions,” Brown said. “It will also allow the VA to better coordinate care for veterans facing long wait times by utilizing community health centers, military hospitals, or private providers. Making these changes now will provide our veterans the care they deserve as we work to improve the VA.”

The Restoring Veterans Trust Act of 2014, legislation sponsored by Senate Veterans Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), would provide new authorities to the VA to help address systemwide shortages and substantive changes in the leadership structure of the Department. The legislation would empower VA officials to remove poorly performing senior executives or those found to be manipulating data or other violations within the Department. A fact sheet is available here: HERE

The legislation would also broaden the available medical options for veterans seeking care by extending provider networks to include community health centers, military hospitals, or private doctors. Additionally, the legislation would authorize emergency funding to help VA officials increase staffing levels of doctors, nurses, and other health care aids to address systemwide shortages.

As the only Ohio Senator to serve a full term on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Brown has introduced a package of key legislative proposals aimed at addressing issues facing Ohio veterans. Last week Brown toured the state to build support for his Significant Event Tracker (SET) Act, legislation that would ensure that unit commanders document events that individual service members are exposed to which might later be connected to PTS, mTBI, or other injuries.

In response to the disability claims backlog, Brown has helped secure record funds and staffing for the VA to combat the backlog. In November 2013, Brown announced that key provisions of his Veterans Services Outreach (VSO) Act passed the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. The Act would require the VA to notify veterans filing claims electronically that they can receive help and important time-saving information that could significantly reduce their wait time.  In August, Brown announced that he would also work to pass the Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2013, legislation that would hold the VA accountable by requiring it to publically report information on both its projected monthly goals and actual production so that Congress and the public knows if the VA is working toward eliminating its backlog. The bill would also establish a task force to hire and train claims processors, and develop tactics to attack and eliminate the backlog.

In December 2013, Brown announced his support for the Homeless Veterans Prevention Act, legislation that would improve homelessness prevention programs and increase the availability of transitional housing for veterans.

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