U.S. Senator Booker Calls for Quick Improvements to Veterans Health Care System

Press Release

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Acting Secretary Sloan Gibson urging the agency to do everything in its power to quickly improve the entire veterans' health care system. "I share the deep frustrations and concerns of many New Jerseyans regarding the recent reports critical of the veterans' health care system," Booker wrote.

Specifically, Senator Booker requested that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provide additional information about the sites used by the state's veterans that are undergoing further review. He inquired about the criteria being used to examine the facilities, the timing of when the full report would be made public, and the follow-up steps that the VA is taking to implement the further review. The letter also raises concerns over lengthy new patient primary and mental health care wait times at facilities serving New Jerseyans, and requests information on the immediate actions the VA is taking to fix this problem.

In February, Senator Booker offered an amendment to a comprehensive veterans' bill that addresses veterans' traveling hours due to the lack of a nearby VA facility that treats chronic conditions or provides specialty care. This month, Senator Booker was an original cosponsor of the Veterans' Access to Care Through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, which includes provisions that aim to address these concerns.

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