Taking care of vets top priority

As a member of Congress, providing for our nation’s veterans is my most important duty. Choosing to serve your country is a selfless and admirable decision, and the men and women in uniform place themselves in harm’s way to preserve our freedoms and keep us safe. Ensuring that those who sacrificed for their fellow citizens receive their deserved benefits and care is of the utmost importance and the least that we, the grateful citizenry, can do.

Last week, the House passed important legislation to guarantee our veterans are receiving proper and quality care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bipartisan Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which passed the Senate two weeks ago, will ensure that VA employees are held accountable when it comes to taking care of our veterans.

While the vast majority of VA employees are honest, hard-working, and dedicated to the veterans they serve, there are unfortunately too many examples of veterans not receiving proper treatment and care. Time and time again, newspaper headlines alert us to repeated instances of misconduct at our nation’s VA hospitals, whether it was the nearly 40 patients in the Phoenix VA Health Care System who died awaiting medical treatment or the billions of dollars wasted through unauthorized use of government purchase cards. Such behavior is unacceptable.

That is why the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act provides the Secretary of Veterans Affairs increased flexibility to remove, demote, or suspend VA employees for poor performance or misconduct. The Secretary can also act to recoup any bonus or award that was given to a VA employee after engaging in misconduct and reduce the pension of those removed from their position due to committing a felony that influenced their performance.

It also strengthens protections for whistleblowers in the Department to better protect them from retaliation when calling attention to misconduct. It makes permanent the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection that President Trump established through executive order. This office assists and advises the VA Secretary on protecting whistleblowers and disciplining or terminating employees due to poor performance or misconduct.

I was proud to have cosponsored similar legislation, the VA Accountability First Act, which passed the House earlier this year. While not the sole solution to providing our veterans with quality care, Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act is an important first step in achieving this, as well as bringing more accountability to the VA.

I am also cosponsoring legislation, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act, to assist veterans in the Aid & Attendance Program. Eligible veterans receive benefits that help them pay for assisted living or in-home personal care when they are housebound or require the attendance of another person.

Sadly, there are those who seek to scam these veterans. These scam artists routinely target these veterans, charging them fees throughout the application process for the benefit – even though it’s actually free. This bill would direct the VA Secretary to work with the heads of other federal agencies, as well as state and local agencies and experts, to develop standards to protect these veterans from these predatory practices.

I look forward to President Trump signing the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act into law and working to pass the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act. It is essential that we take care of veterans. Indeed, it is one of our nation’s most and important and sacred responsibilities, and I am committed to doing my part and everything in my power to serve them.

Jim Renacci has represented Ohio’s 16th Congressional District since 2011. He sits on the Budget and the Ways and Means committees. Follow him at www.facebook.com/​repjimrenacci and www.twitter.com/​repjimrenacci.

CREDIT: US REP JIM RENACCI 16TH DISTRICT