President Barack Obama on Thursday signed legislation aimed to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and reduce wait times for veterans seeking health care as the agency attempts to move past its scandal-filled recent history.
"To care for him or her who shall have borne the battle, that’s the heart of the VA’s motto. That’s what the bill I’m about to sign will help us achieve," Obama said at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
The $16.3 billion legislation will allow some veterans to go to private doctors for treatment and clears the way to hire thousands of medical professionals to help address the backlog of patients seeking care. It also makes it easier to fire poorly performing senior VA executives.
The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, is one of the few significant legislative accomplishments Congress has achieved this year.
IN-DEPTH
- Congress Finishes Some Work, But Fails to Act on Border
- House Approves $17-Billion Bipartisan VA Health Care Fix
- Robert McDonald Confirmed as new Head of Veterans Affairs
SOCIAL
-- Andrew Rafferty