WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today highlighted bipartisan accomplishments on behalf of our nation’s veterans so far in the 114^th Congress, both in the committee and in the full Senate.

“We came into this Congress under special circumstances,” said Isakson. “With last year’s wait time scandal at the VA hospital in Phoenix and the subsequent reforms Congress passed in the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, the committee was presented with two very important tasks. First, to make sure that those responsible for misconduct were held accountable, and second, to ensure that the law is implemented properly and is working for our veterans.

“It is no secret that the VA needs a lot of work. But as chairman of the committee, I’m committed to making sure that we address these issues for our veterans. It is far too often that I pick up the paper and see another scandal at another VA facility. As a committee, we are working day in and day out to end this culture of corruption and neglect and to bring accountability back to the VA for our nation’s veterans.

“I am proud of the work that our committee and the Senate have been able to accomplish in my first six months as chairman to help our veterans. From passing legislation to help prevent veteran suicide, to holding the VA accountable, and bringing oversight directly to the VA, we are working hard to see to it that veterans get the health care and benefits they deserve.”

Since the start of the 114^th Congress, the Senate has passed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (H.R.203), the Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015 (H.R.91), the VA Budget and Choice Improvement Act (H.R.3236) and two bills to extend authorization for the construction of the Denver VA Medical Center, which have all been signed into law.

In addition, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs has:

• Approved the following bills:
  • The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015 (S.1493) to provide a cost-of-living increase for veterans’ benefits;
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability Act of 2015 (S.1082) to expedite removal of delinquent or underperforming VA employees;
  • S.627, a bill to prevent the VA from awarding bonuses to employees found to have committed misconduct.
• Held several oversight hearings, including hearings on the Veterans Choice Act, VA opioid prescription policy, women veterans, and veteran homelessness.
• Established a policy of regular visits to the VA headquarters and hosting town hall meetings with VA employees.
• Held a field hearing in Colorado to examine the rampant mismanagement of the construction of the new Denver VA Medical Center.
• Approved the nominations of Dr. David J. Shulkin to be Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Under Secretary for Health and LaVerne H. Council to be Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Information and Technology.
• Worked with the VA to improve the Veterans Choice Program by enabling more veterans to qualify to receive health care in their community.

###

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 114th Congress.

Isakson is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate VA Committee since he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson’s home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations representing each branch of the military as well as more than 750,000 veterans.