NorthJersey.com - Booker, Menendez Show Support for VA Reform Legislation

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By Matthew McGrath

New Jersey's U.S. senators on Friday lauded a bill approved by Congress on Thursday night that makes initial reforms to the scandal-ridden federal Veterans Affairs Department, but North Jersey vets said more needs to be done.

Meanwhile, the question of why the Veterans Affairs Lyons Campus hospital in Somerset County was included in an inspector general's report on the scandal remains unanswered.

Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, Democrats from Union City and Newark, respectively, praised the bill and the bipartisan support it received while speaking at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Nutley, which is the home post for the state VFW commander.

"It is about time that Congress got together and did right by veterans," Booker said. "Not only does it address shameful, shameful aspects of what is going on … It at least will bring the VA to a level where we can respect what they do and not be ashamed at what they don't do."

The law will gives the VA $5 billion to hire doctors and medical staff to alleviate wait times, $10 billion to pay for veteran care by private doctors and streamlines the process for firing incompetent bureaucrats, among other measures.

North Jersey vet leaders agreed the law was a solid start in reforming an agency long criticized for poor client service, delays in care and a misunderstanding of veterans' needs -- "It's a good start," Bob Salvini, the commander of the Bergen County American Legion, said by phone. "We'll know better when the law starts to be implemented on how it is working."

John Harris, the Passaic County veterans' service officer, agreed on the bill's value, but he said the whole system is broken. He wants veterans' health care choices expanded or wholely privatized.

A 91-3 vote in the Senate sent the $16.3 billion measure to President Obama for his signature. The House had voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill on Wednesday.

Acting on a whistle-blower's information this year, an inspector general's report confirmed that the Veterans Affairs hospital in Phoenix kept secret waiting lists to minimize reported wait times so some employees could earn bonuses. But investigators also discovered that practice was widespread throughout the VA.

The Lyons Campus hospital in Somerset County, administered by VA staff at the East Orange VA hospital, was named in one report as needing further review. The exact reasons were not listed.

Menendez said no new information could be provided yet, but that he will "closely monitor the ongoing investigations at VA hospitals serving New Jersey veterans, to make absolutely certain that they will be able to access the quality care they need and deserve."

On Friday, most in attendance were from Essex County-based VFWs; there was little representation from other veterans' groups.

Jack Kane, the state VFW commander, said he had been nervous the bill wouldn't pass and was happy some reforms went through.

"This is so important," he said. "So many veterans have had their claims denied or have been made to wait, and then wait, all while some of it had been hidden for financial gain."

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