Ensuring accountability at the VA

Floor Speech

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Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, on November 11, Veterans Day, we will honor
and remember the efforts of those who serve our country. We owe it to
our veterans to keep the promises made to them when they first joined
the military.

Despite bipartisan action in Congress to increase efficiency and care
at the VA, we are still suffering from a lack of transparency that
makes it very difficult to determine what actions still need to be
taken to ensure quality, timely care for our veterans. Now we have
learned that there are over 140 investigations by the inspector general
that were hidden. These investigations were shelved; they were not made
available to the public or to Congress.

That is why I am supporting bipartisan legislation, the Veterans Care
and Reporting Enforcement Act, which will require reports from the
investigations by the inspector general to be made public, to be made
available to Congress.

I want to thank my Minnesota colleagues, Congressmen Tom Emmer and
Tim Walz, for bringing this legislation forward. It will go a long way
toward making the VA more accountable so that our veterans get the care
that they deserve.

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