Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released the following statement on news that VA Secretary Eric Shinseki had resigned.

I want to thank General Shinseki for his service as VA Secretary. As Secretary, he made substantial changes and improved the lives of many veterans. A combat wounded veteran of the Vietnam War, he spent over 4 decades in uniform and for that we owe him our gratitude. But with all the findings that have come out about the cover-ups of outrageously long wait times at VA hospitals across the country, it’s clear that a change in senior leadership was necessary. Secretary Shinseki had become a distraction and it was time for him to step aside.

It is my sincere hope that the focus can now be put where it is needed most—moving forward to resolve these serious issues so our veterans can get the quality, timelycare they have earned and deserve.