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Bilirakis: Poor Performance at the VA Must be Stopped

July 15, 2015

Washington, D.C. – Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, voted in passage of H.R. 1994, the VA Accountability Act. This bill would reduce red tape at the VA, making it easier for the Secretary of the Veterans Administration (VA) to fire employees who fail in their duty to care for "those who have borne the battle," while simultaneously making it easier to hire dedicated, and hardworking employees.

"Those brave men and women who return from serving our country should be able to receive timely access to quality care. I believe that most employees at the VA are dedicated to their duty and our nation's heroes. However, wait times persist, and a culture of mediocrity has permeated the VA – too many employees perform terribly and yet, are not fired. Sometimes, these people even continue to collect bonuses while they are suspended," Bilirakis said. "The only way to change the culture at the VA is to systematically remove the individuals who are failing our Veterans. Anything less is an affront to our nation's heroes, and a slap in the face to those who have served."

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that "it can take six months to a year (and sometimes significantly longer) to dismiss an employee." The bill passed the House Committee on Veterans affairs by a vote of 14 - 10.

The bill has support from the following Veteran Service Organizations:

  • The American Legion
  • The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW)
  • Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
  • Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)
  • Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)
  • Student Veterans of America (SVA)
  • Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH)
  • Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
  • The Reserve Officers Association (ROA)
  • Concerned Veterans of America (CVA)
  • The Retired Enlisted Association, (TREA)