BURLINGTON, Vt., April 16 – U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued the following statement after the American Customer Satisfaction Index reported that veterans ranked VA hospitals among the best in the nation with equal or better ratings than private hospitals:

“I visit VA medical centers all over the country and the patients I meet routinely tell me how pleased they are with the quality of care they receive. The results from the 2013 American Customer Satisfaction Index survey reinforce what these veterans have been saying, that VA health care is among the best in the nation. I want to thank the dedicated men and women of the VA who work day in and day out to ensure our veterans get the high-quality care they need and deserve.”