WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) voted on Thursday for bipartisan legislation to reform the Veterans Affairs medical system. The compromise bill would give veterans new flexibility for receiving medical care, empower the VA to hire more doctors and nurses, and give the VA Secretary the ability to fire underperforming senior managers. The Senate approved the bill Wednesday by a vote of 91-3.
"America’s veterans put our nation’s safety before their own and made tremendous sacrifices to protect our freedom. Though we can never fully repay them for their service, we can, and must, make sure our veterans receive the care they deserve. It's disappointing that it took so long for the House and Senate to reach a compromise, but our nation's veterans are glad that they finally did. Real reforms are long overdue. This bipartisan bill takes a number of steps to strengthen and modernize the VA system, making it easier for veterans to get the care they deserve.”