Senate Democrats block VA accountability bill

[TemplarKormac]

No, that's not a typo. It happened. Senate Democrats do not want more accountability at the VA. They blocked a VA accountability bill (HR 4031) that would have made it easier to fire VA officials for misconduct or incompetence. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the house, by a margin of 390-33.

House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday slammed Washington's response to the scandal at the Department of Veterans Affairs, charging that "these are men and women who served our country — and we’ve not just let them down, we’ve let them die."

"The reports that continue to come are appalling," the Ohio Republican told reporters at his weekly news briefing on Capitol Hill. "This is awful stuff, and someone ought to be held accountable for it."

The speaker praised the House's swift approval of the VA Accountability Act on Wednesday, which gives the VA secretary the authority to remove senior executive service employees based on performance.

The bill passed on a 390-33 vote, with 162 Democrats breaking ranks to support the legislation with 228 Republicans.

"We all share the American people’s outrage about the horrors at the VA — outrage the president belatedly echoed yesterday," Boehner said, referring to President Barack Obama's vow to hold any VA official accountable for delaying treatment for returning service members and to "fix whatever is wrong" with the agency.

"The White House keeps talking about its efforts to increase VA funding, but where’s the accountability?" the speaker asked.

He also attacked Senate Democrats for blocking the House-passed accountability bill. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio asked senators to bring up the legislation and pass it, but Democrats objected.

"As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, I am disappointed, and – frankly – shocked that Senate Democratic leaders chose to block legislation that would hold VA managers accountable," Boehner said. "This bill is not the whole solution to the systemic problems plaguing the VA, but it is a crucial first step — and there is no substantive objection to it at all. None.

"As we head home to honor the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, it’s fair to ask why Senate Democrats won’t stand up for more accountability?"

Boehner on Veterans Healthcare Scandal: 'We've Let Them Die'

 

[TemplarKormac]

 

[Vigilante]

 

[whitehall]

Cover-up, cover-up, cover-up. That's what this administration is all about and Harry Reid is part of it. They get away with it (almost) because the mainstream media helps.

 

[The T]

Naturally. Block the stuff that really matters and do crap like sign petitions to get the Redskins to change their name, foist Homosexuality on society, and demonize producers like the Koch Brothers.

These people are SICK.

 

[Plasmaball]

President Barack Obama meets with embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and White House deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors, assigned to the VA, Wednesday morning at the White House. The closed-door meeting comes amid a VA scandal in which it’s alleged that veterans may have died waiting for treatment. Nabors heads to Phoenix tonight to visit one of the VA facilities in question. Meanwhile, House Republicans are pushing what it’s calling the “VA Accountability Act,” which Boehner’s office says would “give the current or future VA Secretary the tools he needs to discipline or fire senior managers.” But it is also putting out a research document highlighting what it calls “the gap between the President’s rhetoric and reality on veterans’ issues.”

ah context...Its a wonderful thing...Primary results boost Republican hopes of taking over the Senate | PBS NewsHour

Perhaps you shouldnt be using rightwing hack sites you mooch.

 

[Vigilante]

 

[Plasmaball]

Naturally. Block the stuff that really matters and do crap like sign petitions to get the Redskins to change their name, foist Homosexuality on society, and demonize producers like the Koch Brothers.

These people are SICK.

not really. Had the GOP not shoved in some add-on's i assume the dems would have passed it. But then Boner wanted to be a partisan hack and add in some crap that wasnt needed.

But hey you continue on with your ignorance.

 

[Katzndogz]

Democrats must think this will help them in November.

 

[Vigilante]

 

[LoneLaugher]

No, that's not a typo. It happened. Senate Democrats do not want more accountability at the VA. They blocked a VA accountability bill (HR 4031) that would have made it easier to fire VA officials for misconduct or incompetence. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the house, by a margin of 390-33.

House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday slammed Washington's response to the scandal at the Department of Veterans Affairs, charging that "these are men and women who served our country — and we’ve not just let them down, we’ve let them die."

"The reports that continue to come are appalling," the Ohio Republican told reporters at his weekly news briefing on Capitol Hill. "This is awful stuff, and someone ought to be held accountable for it."

The speaker praised the House's swift approval of the VA Accountability Act on Wednesday, which gives the VA secretary the authority to remove senior executive service employees based on performance.

The bill passed on a 390-33 vote, with 162 Democrats breaking ranks to support the legislation with 228 Republicans.

"We all share the American people’s outrage about the horrors at the VA — outrage the president belatedly echoed yesterday," Boehner said, referring to President Barack Obama's vow to hold any VA official accountable for delaying treatment for returning service members and to "fix whatever is wrong" with the agency.

"The White House keeps talking about its efforts to increase VA funding, but where’s the accountability?" the speaker asked.

He also attacked Senate Democrats for blocking the House-passed accountability bill. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio asked senators to bring up the legislation and pass it, but Democrats objected.

"As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, I am disappointed, and – frankly – shocked that Senate Democratic leaders chose to block legislation that would hold VA managers accountable," Boehner said. "This bill is not the whole solution to the systemic problems plaguing the VA, but it is a crucial first step — and there is no substantive objection to it at all. None.

"As we head home to honor the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, it’s fair to ask why Senate Democrats won’t stand up for more accountability?"

Boehner on Veterans Healthcare Scandal: 'We've Let Them Die'

Play "Devil's Advocate". Why do some oppose the bill? When was this bill introduced?

 

[idb]

U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget.

Supporters said the measure would have brought the most significant changes in decades to U.S. veterans' programs. For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

U.S. Senate Republicans block veterans' health bill on budget worry | Reuters

 

[Plasmaball]

U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget.

Supporters said the measure would have brought the most significant changes in decades to U.S. veterans' programs. For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

U.S. Senate Republicans block veterans' health bill on budget worry | Reuters

oh......this has to hurt TK....Almost like looking for work hurt.

 

[Sallow]

U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget.

Supporters said the measure would have brought the most significant changes in decades to U.S. veterans' programs. For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

U.S. Senate Republicans block veterans' health bill on budget worry | Reuters

THAT was the bill they SHOULD have passed.

 

[Vigilante]

U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget.

Supporters said the measure would have brought the most significant changes in decades to U.S. veterans' programs. For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

U.S. Senate Republicans block veterans' health bill on budget worry | Reuters

And from the above article

Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama said: "This bill would spend more than we agreed to spend. The ink is hardly dry and here we have another bill to raise that spending again."

Let's change the bill after it's agreed upon, by the feckless, Dems!

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

No, that's not a typo. It happened. Senate Democrats do not want more accountability at the VA.

Wrong again, as usual.

Democrats are in fact committed to reform and accountability concerning the VA:

"We do have some concerns that some provisions could result in significant litigation, which would defer valuable time and resources from VA’s accountability efforts and its core mission of delivering quality services to our veterans," Carney said.

The White House spokesman also reiterated that the administration shared and supported the goals of the bill, and that the president was determined to punish those responsible for misconduct.

"We’ve been very clear we want to work with Congress on specific language issues and look forward to discussing the bill going forward," Carney said.

An association representing top-level government employees has complained that the House bill would eliminate due process protections afforded to top-tier government officials.

According to the Senior Executives Association, government employees are currently allowed to appeal firings and demotions to an administrative panel. The House bill would eliminate that recourse.

The group also expressed concerns that the bill would allow the department to scapegoat career civil servants in the media and interject politics into the firing process.

Senate Democrats blocked the bill Thursday, with Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) promising to revisit it after the Memorial Day recess.

"Your legislation has many important provisions which I happen to agree with. There are some I think need work on, and we are going to hold a hearing on that legislation and other legislation in early June," Sanders said.

White House fears VA reform bill could mean 'significant litigation' | TheHill

Democrats’ concerns with regard to eliminating the due process afforded VA employees as well as making scapegoats of employees rather than implementing actual reform are appropriate and justified.

That Senate democrats will revisit the issue next month again proves the OP to be a liar and rightwing partisan hack.

 

[idb]

U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget.

Supporters said the measure would have brought the most significant changes in decades to U.S. veterans' programs. For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

U.S. Senate Republicans block veterans' health bill on budget worry | Reuters

And from the above article

Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama said: "This bill would spend more than we agreed to spend. The ink is hardly dry and here we have another bill to raise that spending again."

Let's change the bill after it's agreed upon, by the feckless, Dems!

Yep, outrageous!
There's plenty of money to create veterans...not enough to look after them.

 

[jasonnfree]

Naturally. Block the stuff that really matters and do crap like sign petitions to get the Redskins to change their name, foist Homosexuality on society, and demonize producers like the Koch Brothers.
These people are SICK.

The coke brothers are thieves. If they weren't the coke brothers they'd be in jail.

Oil Watchdog*|* Meet Koch Industries


Bloomberg Investigates the Koch Brothers | TIME.com

 

[The T]

Naturally. Block the stuff that really matters and do crap like sign petitions to get the Redskins to change their name, foist Homosexuality on society, and demonize producers like the Koch Brothers.
These people are SICK.

The coke brothers are thieves. If they weren't the coke brothers they'd be in jail.

Oil Watchdog*|* Meet Koch Industries


Bloomberg Investigates the Koch Brothers | TIME.com

So is Soros. Let's see YOU have some objectivity there sport.

 

[tinydancer]

U.S. Senate Republicans block veterans' health bill on budget worry | Reuters

And from the above article

Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama said: "This bill would spend more than we agreed to spend. The ink is hardly dry and here we have another bill to raise that spending again."

Let's change the bill after it's agreed upon, by the feckless, Dems!

Yep, outrageous!
There's plenty of money to create veterans...not enough to look after them.

That's bullshit. This matter is not a lack of financing.

OMB historical data on budget outlays by department are easily available at the White House website, and the spreadsheet tells a very interesting story.

Since 9/11, the VA budget has increased by 235%, from FY2001′s $45 billion annual budget to FY2014′s $150.7 billion.On a percentage basis, the only Cabinet agencies that had larger budget increases over that arc have been State (271%) and Homeland Security (245%), the latter of which barely existed at the start of that period.

In the Bush era, comparing the final budget with his signature (FY08) to the final Clinton budget (FY01), VA spending rose 88.3% to $84.7 billion. Defense spending rose 104% in the same period.

Barack Obama ran in 2007-8 on failures at the VA, promising more resources and better management. In comparison to that final Bush budget — don’t forget that Obama signed the FY2009 budget in March 2009 with the omnibus spending bill after a Democrat-controlled Congress refused to deal with Bush — VA spending has risen dramatically as well.

The annual budget rose 78% in six budget cycles, with double-digit increases in four of the six years — while Defense spending was flat. No other Cabinet agency had a larger budget increase by percentage during Obama’s tenure.

The closest was Agriculture (64%), followed by State (59%, which tends to discredit the canard about the Benghazi failure being caused by a lack of resources). Only HHS had a larger annual budget increase in terms of dollars spent, but it amounts to a 37% increase in spending from the FY2008 baseline.

The amount of increase in the VA’s budget in the Obama era, $65.9 billion, exceeds the entire VA budget in the FY2004 budget.

Is the VA scandal a funding issue, or a leadership failure? « Hot Air