Rep. Gosar Calls for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to Resign
Washington, DC,
May 28, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after reviewing the Inspector General's interim report entitled Review of Patient Wait Times, Scheduling Practices and Alleged Patient Deaths at the Phoenix Health Care System:
Rep. Gosar Calls for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to Resign Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after reviewing the Inspector General's interim report entitled Review of Patient Wait Times, Scheduling Practices and Alleged Patient Deaths at the Phoenix Health Care System: "In light of the release of today's report confirming hard evidence of neglect and malfeasance within the Department of Veterans Affairs, I call on VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to immediately resign. Today, the Inspector General confirmed serious and long standing abuse with regard to data manipulation and wait time schemes within the VA healthcare system in Phoenix and throughout the country. "The fact that 1,700 veterans were kept on unofficial records lists in order to conceal lengthy wait times and manipulate data is disgraceful, despicable and dangerous. At least 40 veterans likely died waiting for treatment at the Phoenix VA and I will not stand for this abuse and lack of care for our nation's heroes. I kept my powder dry until I had hard evidence incriminating Secretary Shinseki and others within the VA. But now it's time for heads to roll. Those employees responsible for this negligence and corruption need to be held accountable and immediately terminated without retirement." Background: Rep. Gosar has taken several measures to hold the VA accountable for this neglect. On April 30, 2014, Rep. Gosar successfully passed an amendment on the House floor to prohibit the Department of Veterans Affairs from creating or maintaining any unofficial patient record-keeping system. The amendment was attached to the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which then passed the full House by a vote of 416-1. The text of the amendment can be found HERE. Watch Rep. Gosar’s speech on the House floor about the need for this amendment by clicking HERE. ### |