Hosted our sixth Veterans Resource Clinic – our clinics have served over 800 veterans and military families since July 2014.

Sent a letter to VA Secretary McDonald requesting an independent review of the Phoenix VA's suicide prevention protocols and procedures.

House passed our Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act to ensure veterans with classified experiences have appropriate access to mental health services.

Met with the new Director of the Phoenix VA Health Care System, Deborah Amdur, to discuss challenges faceting the Phoenix VA and the reforms need to the problems. 

Hosted a bipartisan Special Order Hour to raise awareness about the epidemic of veteran suicide. 

Introduced and passed an amendment to the VA Accountability Act to ensure individual managers are held accountable to fix problems identified by the VA Office of Inspector General (VAOIG).

House passed the VA Accountability Act, legislation we co-sponsored to hold VA employees accountable and improve performance at the VA.

Testified before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Heath on our Sgt. Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act. 

Introduced the Demanding Accountability for Veterans Act with Dan Benishek requiring the VA to address problems identified by the VA Office of Inspector General and ensure individual managers are held accountable if issues remain unresolved.

Introduced and passed an amendment improving oversight and accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Cosponsored the VA Accountability Act the Secretary of Veterans Affairs new authority to hold VA employees accountable and improve performance at the VA.

Brought Arizona Veterans' concerns to VA Management about a rule preventing many veterans who drive 40+ miles to a VA from enrolling in the VA Choice program.

• The VA reversed its decision Opens a New Window. and now calculates VA Choice eligibility based on driving distance to a VA facility.

Called on the VA to protect whistleblowers Opens a New Window. at the Phoenix VA and other VA facilities across the country

Demanded immediate care for veterans who have been waiting over 30 days Opens a New Window. for care from the Phoenix VA

Cosponsored and passed bipartisan legislation Opens a New Window. to recoup bonuses and awards paid to VA employees who manipulated wait time data and left veterans without access to care

Called on the VA to address scheduling, staffing, and training deficiencies Opens a New Window. at the Phoenix VA's Radiology Department

Cosponsored Opens a New Window. and passed the Clay Hunt SAV Act Opens a New Window. to improve suicide prevention programs at the VA

Organized  Veterans Resource Clinics Opens a New Window. in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, providing over 800 Arizona veterans with immediate access to care

Re-introduced the Classified Veterans Access to Care Act Opens a New Window. in honor of Sgt. Daniel Somers. This bill ensures that veterans with classified experiences have appropriate access to mental health services from the VA

Demanded answers Opens a New Window. about delays in care, lack of review of medical records, and lack of understanding between VA and non-VA providers at the Phoenix VA's Urology Department

Met with new VA Southwest Region Acting Director Kathleen Fogarty and requested a plan Opens a New Window. to ensure the Phoenix VA has the resources it needs to deliver the highest standard of care

Called on the VA to fire senior Phoenix VA managers Opens a New Window. who manipulated wait-time data

• The VA fired Phoenix VA Director Sharon Helman Opens a New Window. on November 24, 2014

Met with Interim Phoenix VA Director Glen Grippen and requested a plan to improve care Opens a New Window. for veterans at the Phoenix VA

Called on VA Southwest Region Acting Director Kathleen Fogarty to visit the Phoenix VA Medical Center immediately Opens a New Window. upon assuming the role of Acting Director

Urged the VA to resume publication of wait-time data Opens a New Window. at the Phoenix VA

• The VA resumed publication of the data Opens a New Window. on November 6, 2014

Hosted a meeting of our Veterans Mental Health Working Group Opens a New Window. , which has met periodically since June

Questioned the VA's definition of "timely access to care" Opens a New Window. for determining VA wait-time goals

Called on the VA Office of Inspector General to release all OIG reports Opens a New Window. on the Phoenix VA

Called on the VA to present a plan to fix Opens a New Window. The Joint Commission compliance report

Hosted a second Veterans Healthcare, Benefits and Resources Clinic Opens a New Window. in Tempe to get veterans the care they've earned

Released our Veteran Resource Guide Opens a New Window. to connect Arizona veterans with services and resources available to them

Hosted a bipartisan special order on veteran suicide prevention Opens a New Window. in recognition of Suicide Prevention Month

Called on the VA to hire a permanent director Opens a New Window. for the Phoenix VA Medical Center

In August, the VA announced plans to implement our plan Opens a New Window. to improve primary care for veterans

Passed bipartisan VA Reform legislation Opens a New Window.

• The bill was signed into law Opens a New Window. on August 7, 2014

Brought Arizona veterans' concerns to VA Sec. Robert McDonald. at a private meeting Opens a New Window. in Phoenix

Cosponsored bipartisan legislation Opens a New Window. allowing military sexual trauma survivors to get care outside the military and VA if they choose

Introduced bipartisan legislation Opens a New Window. that claws back bonuses fraudulently paid to VA employees who manipulated wait-time data.

Demanded accountability and protections Opens a New Window. for VA whistleblowers

Spoke at a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing Opens a New Window. with the family of Daniel Somers about our work to prevent veteran suicide

• We also co-hosted a briefing Opens a New Window. with the Somers and Rep. Scott Peters on our work to prevent veteran suicide

Called on the VA Opens a New Window. to take action ending its "culture of non-responsiveness" to whistleblowers

• The VA announced plans to restructure its Office of Medical Inspector in response to the recommendations highlighted in the Sinema-Salmon Letter

Requested a bi-monthly briefing Opens a New Window. for Arizona's Congressional Delegation on the status of the work to get care for veterans at the Phoenix VA

• The VA agreed to provide these briefings. Phoenix VA Acting Director Costie held the first one on July 11 Opens a New Window.

Called on Phoenix VA Executives currently on leave Opens a New Window. to resign, return bonuses and pay they've collected while on administrative leave

Introduced legislation to reduce VA wait times Opens a New Window. by expanding the VA's use of existing community provider primary care contracts

Offered a motion Opens a New Window. calling for the House and Senate to adopt language from the bipartisan Sanders-McCain VA Reform bill and send a final bill to the President's Desk

Called on the administration Opens a New Window. to establish a Blue-Ribbon Commission to address excessive wait times at the Phoenix VA

Spearheaded a working group Opens a New Window. of community providers and veterans service organizations coordinating care for veterans waiting for care at the Phoenix VA

Partnered with the American Legion to help Arizona veterans at the American Legion Veterans Crisis Command Center

Cosponsored and Passed H.R. 4810 Opens a New Window. , the "Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014" 

• This bipartisan bill would cut wait times at VA medical facilities by expanding the VA's use of community providers. The bill would also suspend employee performance bonuses for three years

Cosponsored and Passed H.R. 2072 Opens a New Window. , the "Demanding Accountability for Veterans Act of 2013" 

• This bipartisan bill would hold the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs responsible for addressing problems identified by the VA Office of Inspector General (VAOIG). It would also prevent the VA from paying performance bonuses to poorly performing employees

Met with Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson Opens a New Window. and presented a specific plan to help the thousands of Arizona veterans who need care immediately

Called on the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure veterans' access to care using all available resources Opens a New Window. community providers

Called for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's Resignation Opens a New Window.

Requested a Department of Justice Investigation Opens a New Window. into the Phoenix VA

The FBI has opened a criminal investigation Opens a New Window.  into the Department of Veterans Affairs

Cosponsored and Passed H.R. 4031, the "Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014

This bipartisan bill improves accountability and protects veterans by giving the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs greater authority to hold underperforming senior executives accountable and to remove them for poor performance

Passed a bipartisan amendment with Rep. Matt Salmon to increase funds available for the VA Office of Inspector General "for an investigation into the alleged misrepresentation of appointment times and the deaths of veterans at the Phoenix VA Hospital

The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the final bill passed the House on May 1, 2014

Questioned VA officials about the quality of care at the Phoenix VA during a House Veterans Affairs Committee Field Hearing in Arizona

Sent a letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki demanding answers about the Phoenix VA and requesting a briefing for Arizona's Congressional delegation

On April 25, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the OIG had opened an investigation into the Phoenix VA