Courtney Statement on Vote to Send VA Reform Bills to Conference | Congressman Joe Courtney
Skip to main content

Courtney Statement on Vote to Send VA Reform Bills to Conference

June 18, 2014
WASHINGTON—Today Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) released the following statement on the House vote to send legislation to reform the Veterans Administration (VA) to conference:
“Today’s action is an important step forward in the effort to provide the top-notch health care that every American military veteran deserves,” Courtney said. “I look forward to the conference committee producing a final bill that I hope will lay out clear, substantial changes to ensure that the VA’s failings in providing access to quality and timely care are fully addressed. While the House has passed bipartisan bills to address specific aspects of the challenges facing the VA, the Senate has produced a more substantive package of reforms that I feel will allow the VA to better serve our veterans. As this process moves forward, I will continue to support a final product that addresses the very serious issues that have been raised in recent weeks, improves capacity of the VA health system, and ensures that VA leaders have the tools they needs to reform. ”
Congressman Courtney is a cosponsor of the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (HR 4841), which is identical to the Senate bill passed 93-3 last week. In addition, he has joined bipartisan majorities in the House to pass bills reflecting individual elements of the Senate bill, including the Veteran Access to Care Act (HR 4810) to allow veterans facing long waits to seek care outside of the VA; the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act (HR 4031) to allow greater leeway to remove underperforming VA employees; and the Department of Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Lease Authorization Act (HR 3521), passed in December 2013, to approve over two dozen veterans clinics including the Errera Community Care Center in West Haven.
###