WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) joined the House Tuesday in passing bipartisan legislation that provides the Veterans Affairs Secretary the authority to remove, demote, or suspend any VA employee for poor performance or misconduct.

Prior to the vote, Fitzpatrick spoke on the House floor in support of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act [S. 1094], saying:

“Scandal after scandal has caused heightened distrust between veterans and their VA. For too long, veterans nationwide have been disrespected by those who are supposed to be advocates for them – sometimes with deadly consequences.

Be it in Regional Offices – like the one in Philadelphia, which my office has worked closely with – or Medical Centers from Phoenix to Florida, we have seen the devastating impact of the current culture of mismanagement and distrust, and its impact on backlogged claims and lack of care for those who devoted their lives to serve our country.

The legislation before the House today institutes the needed reforms throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs by granting the authority – and the expectation – that the Secretary to remove, demote, or suspend any VA employee for poor performance or misconduct.

Rebuilding trust between Veterans Affairs and those who have served should be a priority. The ‘Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act’ is crucial to reforming this trust and I am proud to support it.”

Earlier this month, Fitzpatrick joined the house in passing a number of legislative proposals to increase VA accountability as well as increase access to care and provide a cost-of-living adjustment for disability compensation so that survivors of disabled veterans can receive the increased benefits they deserve.

Fitzpatrick has also praised VA Sec. Shulkin’s announcement that the VA and Dept. of Defense would be modernizing health record systems to allow military medical records to follow veterans when they leave service.