Vice-Chairman Bilirakis Statement on Secretary Shinseki

"Secretary Shinseki has proudly served this nation in the U.S. Armed Forces, but following the Inspector General's interim report, which identifies more alarming allegations, I call upon the General to step down for the sake of our veterans.

"While there are many dedicated public servants working on the front lines to help our nation's heroes, the VA systemically promotes a culture of mediocrity without the necessary levels of transparency and accountability. The Department needs a complete overhaul and the Secretary's resignation would be an important first step. Ultimately, we must remain focused on finding solutions that ensure our nation's heroes get the quality and timely care that they have earned."