VA Funding Bill Now Moves to Full Senate
WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–May 22, 2014. U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, today voted with the full Committee to pass the VA and Military Construction Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2015. The bill passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 30-0.
This year’s bill addresses the ongoing VA wait list scandal and directs the VA Inspector General to conduct a review of the VA’s scheduling procedures, wait times, and management practices at all VA hospitals, including those at Illinois’ five VA hospitals. This bill also places a restriction on performance bonuses for VA medical directors, assistant directors, and senior executives. This legislation includes language that gives the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the authority to remove members of the Senior Executive Service.
“I contacted the Inspector General at the VA this week to ask him to investigate three specific findings at Hines VA Hospital: an internal memo from the Director at Hines indicating a manipulation of scheduling, a FOIA document showing payment of over $16 million in bonuses to Hines staff in the last three years, and $2 million in court settlement or payment records from veteran deaths or delays in care,” Senator Kirk said. “In the Appropriations Committee today, I was successful in blocking new bonuses and giving the IG the funding to get answers about these accusations. It is not acceptable to simply say that the VA is too big and too bureaucratic to change. Our veterans have never given up on us, and I will never give up on them.”
The following Kirk priorities were included in this year’s bill:
Veterans Affairs
Adds $5 million over the President’s request for the VA Inspector General to conduct a nationwide review of scheduling procedures and an audit of wait times at VA hospitals, including the five Illinois VA hospitals.
Prohibits bonuses for VA medical directors, assistant medical directors, and VHA SES employees until the IG report is complete and the Secretary provides an implementation plan addressing the findings and recommendations of the audit.
Adds $45 million for VA Minor Construction and $125 million for non-recurring maintenance, to aid in the maintenance and care of VA facilities like those in Danville, Ill.
Adds the following funds to address the current VA claims backlog:
– $30 million to hire and train more claims processors
– $10 million to expand and enhance electronic claims processing systems
– $5 million for the Board of Veterans Appeals to address its growing backlog
Department of Defense
Includes $19.5 million for 33 on-base family housing units at Rock Island Arsenal.
Includes $7.9 million in funding to finalize the planning and design of the missile defense site in Redzikowo, Poland.
Source: kirk.senate.gov
