Chairman Moran Leads Hearing to Review Pending Legislation for Veterans with VA and VSOs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) - chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs - led a committee hearing today to discuss 25 pieces of legislation with representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), American Veterans (AMVETS) and Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). Sen. Moran introduced four of the 25 bills that were discussed.

"The legislation we will consider today reflects a collection of bipartisan priorities to further expand and streamline access to high-quality health care and earned benefits for veterans, their survivors and their families," said Sen. Moran. "Improving the lives of those who have served is not a partisan issue, but a shared mission that involves every member of this committee. Whether we are addressing health care resources or the efficiency of benefits claims processing, our focus remains supporting those who have served and sacrificed for our nation."

During the hearing, Sen. Moran asked VA's Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Patient Care Services, Dr. Mark A. Koeniger, about the closure of half of the intensive care unit (ICU) and surgical beds at the Leavenworth, Kansas VA Medical Center. In his questioning, Sen. Moran discussed VA's plans to rectify the situation, the importance of VA promptly notifying Congress about staffing and workforce issues and his legislation, the Optimizing the VA Workforce for Veterans Act.

"I was not notified or informed of this until a week later and am still waiting to learn all of the relevant details, and I hope the circumstances would be different and that we would have answers more quickly," continued Sen. Moran. "This situation, the complaint I raise today, provides another clear example of why the workforce legislation I introduced with Senator King is sorely needed. It would require VA to develop, maintain, and provide Congress with a strategic human capital plan that aligns staffing levels with current and future projected demand for VA services and increase transparency with Congress in advance of significant staffing changes or a reduction in force."

His questions to VA can be found here.

The committee also discussed Sen. Moran's bills, the Disabled Veterans Dignity Act, National Veterans Strategy Act and Veterans STAND Act.

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran's Opening Statement

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