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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
Improving
Veterans’ Health Care
Last week, I introduced Robert McDonald, President Obama’s nominee for
Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), at his confirmation hearing before
the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. The next day, the Committee –
13 other senators and I – voted unanimously to approve his nomination.
The full Senate must now vote on his confirmation.
I voted in support of Robert McDonald’s nomination because I believe he
possesses the skills and integrity needed to advocate for our nation’s
veterans. As a U.S. Army veteran and the former CEO of Proctor and
Gamble, he has proven his commitment to our nation and his
effectiveness as a leader.
Voting to confirm McDonald will allow him to swiftly begin tackling the
VA’s problems, ensuring that our veterans are receiving the quality
healthcare they deserve. As one of 14 Senators chosen to serve on the
2014 Senate-House conference committee to negotiate the veterans’
reform legislation, I am committed to rebuilding the VA by increasing
accountability for senior VA employees; allowing qualified veterans in
remote locations who are experiencing long wait times to receive care
from another institution; and requiring the VA to hire more doctors,
nurses, and other needed staff. We can’t afford to let partisan
politics hinder these negotiations. Our nation’s obligation to our
veterans relies on quick passage of this bill and the confirmation of
McDonald as Secretary of the VA so he can implement these reforms.
Along with shortening wait times, the VA must collaborate more with the
Department of Defense (DOD) to better serve post 9/11 veterans,
including those facing Post-Traumatic Stress, mild Traumatic Brain
Injury, or other “invisible injuries.” Physical wounds are visible and
easy to document but some veterans with PTS and mTBI have been denied
disability claims because it is difficult prove the link between their
injuries and their military service. That’s why I wrote and introduced
the Significant Event Tracker (SET) Act based on solutions brought to
me by Michael Fairman, an Ohio combat veteran and advocate for soldiers
with Post-Traumatic Stress.
The SET Act creates individualized reports to track soldiers’ exposure
to events, such as roadside bombings, that could potentially lead to
“invisible injuries.” This will ease the burden of proving the cause of
their injury for veterans so they can focus fully on their recovery.
Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-8), an Iraq war veteran, will soon
introduce the bill in the House of Representatives.
Our veterans deserve care befitting their service to this country. The
Senate must commit itself to confirming Robert McDonald to lead the VA
and passing legislation that ensures quality, timely care for visible
and invisible injuries alike.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
U.S. Senator
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