Posted on Jun 26, 2015
Is this just giveing the VA more to do? Vets' benefits, VA accountability in new legislation
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Note: Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., never served and will never be treated in a VA facility.
Note: Sen. Patty Murray's (D-Wash.) father was a World War II veteran and a Purple Heart recipient
Some of the proposals were endorsed by VA even as the department said it would need more money to implement them.
But others, such as a bill sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., that would give the VA secretary broader powers to fire employees, ran into opposition from VA officials, who said such a measure would lower morale and hurt VA's ability to recruit quality employees.
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee members heard pitches on six bills Wednesday, including two from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that have been introduced in previous years but never made into law.
Murray's legislation, the Women Veterans and Families Health Services bill and Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement bill, would require VA to cover infertility treatments for veterans with service-related fertility problems, create a child care program to cover baby-sitting during medical appointments and expand benefits to family and friends who provide support and care for ill and injured troops similar to programs available to post-9/11 veterans.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/veterans/2015/06/25/svac-proposed-va-legislation/29259809/
Note: Sen. Patty Murray's (D-Wash.) father was a World War II veteran and a Purple Heart recipient
Some of the proposals were endorsed by VA even as the department said it would need more money to implement them.
But others, such as a bill sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., that would give the VA secretary broader powers to fire employees, ran into opposition from VA officials, who said such a measure would lower morale and hurt VA's ability to recruit quality employees.
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee members heard pitches on six bills Wednesday, including two from Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that have been introduced in previous years but never made into law.
Murray's legislation, the Women Veterans and Families Health Services bill and Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement bill, would require VA to cover infertility treatments for veterans with service-related fertility problems, create a child care program to cover baby-sitting during medical appointments and expand benefits to family and friends who provide support and care for ill and injured troops similar to programs available to post-9/11 veterans.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/veterans/2015/06/25/svac-proposed-va-legislation/29259809/
Posted in these groups: 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)US Congress
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)US Congress
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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This does nothing, but create more patients for the VA to screw over. There is no way in hell I would let anyone that works for the VA to look after my children. Besides that, the only other people that should be "Cared for" by the VA are our Politicians. They should be subjected to the same horse shit we are.
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First of all their if misconception that VA employees cannot be fired. As a VA employee I assure they can and do get fired at my facility. That said, they are still government employees, and entitled to their union agreement. Just like any other union agreement the rules have to be followed.
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SSG Trevor S.
CW3 Kevin Storm I think you inadvertently hit the nail on the head with this comment. You said "union". The power of the union just might need readjusted in the case of the VA (and many other Federal Government agencies). I am tempted to say that the current situation of corruption and incompetence leading up to and including deaths might be justification for abolishing unions in the VA. I don't want to bust the unions, but I do want the focus of the VA to be Veterans instead of an atmosphere of CYA and barricade layers to access earned benefits to assure job security of union members.
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CW3 Kevin Storm
There are issues, but like any healthcare facility, deaths are going to happen. Mistakes can and do happen. Is every facility perfect, no. Keep in mind (and I know this is going to create a firestorm), a lot of providers are underpaid. Many VA facilities are in areas that have a high cost of living, and the COLA and nominal pay raises do not keep pace with inflation to keep the best and brightest. We get some of the best residents in the country, working at Palo Alto VA we get Stanford residents, my counterparts in SFVA get UCSF residents, but residents who go to these schools more often than not are going on after their residency for that higher specialization. Upwards of another four years of education/training to become a board certified specialist. They end up with a ton of debt, so they look for work where they can pay it off. Unfortunately that does not make Uncle Sam choice number one. As for some of the other positions, there is a mix of reasons. Many of these people are at the VA for a variety of reasons.
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