Walorski, VA Secretary McDonald Meet with Veterans at South Bend VA Facility
Discuss Veterans Issues with Leadership and Stakeholders, Greet Veterans at South Bend Community Based Outpatient Clinic
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (IN-02) and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald today toured the South Bend Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) and met with veterans.
Walorski, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, invited Secretary McDonald to visit Indiana’s 2nd District during a hearing earlier this year. Walorski and McDonald toured the clinic, held a roundtable discussion with local VA leadership and stakeholders, and greeted Hoosier veterans.
“I appreciate Secretary McDonald’s willingness to spend time with Hoosier veterans and have an open conversation about the problems in our VA system, the progress we’ve made, and the work we have left to do,” Congresswoman Walorski said. “We have a duty to make sure every man and woman who served this country in uniform is treated with dignity and respect. That means getting veterans the services and care they deserve, protecting them from overprescription of powerful painkillers, never again allowing a veteran to die waiting for care, and holding the VA accountable when they let our veterans down.”
BACKGROUND
Two measures authored by Walorski to protect veterans from opioid overprescription were included in bipartisan, comprehensive legislation to combat the opioid epidemic. One provision would require VA facilities to participate in state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), and the other would allow the VA to use FDA-approved medical devices and other non-opioid therapies to treat chronic pain.
Walorski’s legislation to protect veterans from scheduling manipulations at VA facilities was included in a VA reform bill that passed the House by voice vote. Walorski’s bill, H.R. 4977, the VA Scheduling Accountability Act, reinstates the annual requirement for each facility director to certify compliance with VA scheduling practices and prohibits any future waivers of this requirement. It also requires the Secretary of the VA to submit an annual report to Congress that lists facilities that have not certified compliance and an explanation as to why.
Walorski represents the 2nd Congressional District of Indiana, serving as a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, House Armed Services Committee and House Committee on Agriculture.
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