CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: VA Scandal

Interview

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BLITZER: It's pretty shocking stuff. Drew Griffin, thanks very much.

Members of Congress now are making the VA scandal a top priority. We're joined by the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Jeff Miller of Florida. When you saw this report, what did you think, Congressman?

REP. JEFF MILLER (R), FLORIDA: Well, obviously it angers anybody that watches a report like that, but I'm not surprised because we've heard from whistle-blower after whistle-blower all across the country. When they bring information forward, there is a campaign to shut them up. Basically they're said to be disgruntled employees, and they have been asked to do something extra so they're just trying to cause trouble for the bosses. It's not the way to get the problems solved that exist at VA today.

BLITZER: So the suggestion that maybe not one but two patients in psychiatric wards, units at VA hospitals, didn't actually see a doctor or psychiatrist for eight years -- you saw that allegation, what was your reaction to that?

MILLER: Can you imagine somebody being put into an institution and then not being treated for the very issue that they're there for? It boggles your mind in an agency that apparently every single superior leader in that agency has received the best types of reviews that they could have gotten. I would guarantee you if we dig into it, somebody there that was responsible for the oversight got a bonus.

BLITZER: You know, and in this report there -- you get the reaction from the Department of Veterans Affairs, they say there's no real evidence that despite some of these problems that veterans' health was negatively impacted. I find that hard to believe. I assume you do as well?

MILLER: I do, and I will tell you this. When the Phoenix story first broke, we found out from within the central office in Washington that their whole idea of trying to tamp down the committee's request was to try to prove that nobody had been harmed by the delay in care.

Well, we already know there had been 23 veterans that have died in this country because of delays in care, and that's what -- instead of trying to focus on fixing the problem, they were trying to come up with a way to spin their way out of the crisis that's here. The fact remains there are thousands of veterans out there that did not receive the care they were supposed to receive, and the people that are responsible for that delayed care are still on the job today.

BLITZER: You know, you heard in Drew's report of this report that came out, really horrible conditions at VA hospitals. Massachusetts, Colorado, Mississippi, including unsanitary medical equipment, tainted drinking water. Is this a nationwide problem, or are these simply isolated incidents, exceptions to the rule?

MILLER: No, I don't want to think it is an isolated incident because that's exactly what Secretary Shinseki said about the issue at Phoenix. I have been to VA medical centers across this country, some in my own state of Florida, where in fact there have been sanitary issues and sterilization problems.

The problem is people are not being held accountable for mistakes that are made that could have been prevented in trying to -- all they want to talk about at VA is going through and retraining more people, giving people a little more education. No, this is a culture within the VA that acceptable behavior is the norm, not the exception.

BLITZER: You've got hearings coming up, is that right?

MILLER: I have a hearing tonight, as a matter of fact. We're going to be talking about their ability to handle this backlog. How did we get here? What are you doing right now to try to solve the situation? They have not given us a brief yet, even though we've been asking for it for weeks, trying to find out what are you doing to fix the problem.

BLITZER: Well, we'll be monitoring your hearing and stay in close touch, Congressman. Thanks very much. Appreciate what you're doing on behalf of veterans all over the country.

MILLER: Thank you, Wolf.

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