Congressman Mike Rogers said today that bipartisan legislation to provide better medical care and new doctor choices for our Nation’s Veterans was “not perfect but a good first step,” while also calling on the new VA Secretary to do all he can to help ensure our Veterans receive the best care America can offer.

Since earlier this year, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been under fire nationwide for ongoing reports of scandals, mismanagement and cover ups at VA facilities.

Rogers says he hopes this legislation, passed by the House today, would help improve the access to and quality of care for Veterans. He says he also hopes it will provide greater accountability at the VA by allowing for the termination of senior VA employees responsible for mismanagement.

“Our brave men and women who have served in uniform risk it all for our freedoms and for our country. These Veterans deserve only the best care we can possibly offer,” Rogers said. “This bill is just a first step in helping fix a very broken VA system and I hope our Veterans begin to see relief soon.”

Rogers said he, along with the entire Alabama delegation, is also continuing to monitor closely developments at the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS), based in Montgomery. There have been allegations of potential criminal misconduct at the facility as well as several instances of negligence and falsifying records that have already been exposed.

On Tuesday, Rogers echoed calls from the Alabama delegation for the new VA Secretary Robert McDonald to visit the facility. H.R. 3230, Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, passed the House of Representatives today.

Rogers is Chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee and a senior member of the House Agriculture and House Homeland Security committees.

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