Deeply troubled by allegations that Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) staff  were manipulating waiting times for veterans who needed urgent care, which ultimately led to some deaths, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) today voted for bipartisan legislation that would force the administration to finally address problems within the VA.

The VA Management Accountability Act would give the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs authority to remove employees of the Senior Executive Service, whose performance the Secretary believes warrants removal, from the government service completely or transfer them to a General Schedule position within the current civil service system. There have been multiple VA Inspector General reports that have linked VA patient care problems to mismanagement within VA facilities. There are GAO findings that VA bonus pay has no clear link to performance. Furthermore, the VA defended its celebration of senior executives while giving them glowing reviews and cash bonuses of up to $63,000.

“We must do everything we can to prevent these horrific and tragic events from ever happening again by ensuring that our nation’s veterans receive the care they deserve and this bipartisan bill is a huge step toward that goal,” Luetkemeyer said. “The recent allegations of preventable veterans deaths in Arizona are incredibly alarming and we must hold VA leadership accountable. We must also provide the VA with the personnel tools they need to hold employees accountable for their actions. I am very hopeful the Senate will pass this important legislation immediately and send it to the president for his signature.”