The push to clear out the VA hospital backlog of veterans waiting for treatment got a shot in the arm on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
House Speaker John Boehner named Representative Bill Flores of Bryan to the Conference Committee on Veteran’s Health Care.
Flores was one of eight Republicans named to the 14 member committee. The Senate was expected to name its members late the same day.
The proposed bill would allow veterans to seek healthcare from private sources and have the VA manage payments.
Flores said he couldn’t predict the total number of veterans who would take advantage of the proposed changes, but that there are currently almost 120,000 veterans who have been waiting for an appointment for as long as 90 days.
Click below to hear Bill Flores’ comments to WTAW’s Patrick Zeinert on appointment to the committee.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Speaker, John Boehner (R-OH), has appointed Congressman Bill Flores (R-Texas) to the House-Senate Conference Committee on the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3230, the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act. Following the appointment, Congressman Flores released the following statement:
“I am humbled to be appointed by Speaker Boehner to the conference committee working to finalize legislation to help our nation’s veterans. When our military men and women return to civilian life, we owe it to them to keep our promises and provide them with the best health care and benefit services possible. It has been disheartening to learn that the VA has been failing to do its primary job and our veterans are suffering because of the VA’s blatant misconduct and mismanagement. I look forward to coming together with my fellow conferees to iron out the differences between our respective bills to ensure our veterans are receiving proper, timely care. I am focused on creating a more accountable VA with a smaller bureaucracy that is committed to putting the care of our nation’s veterans first.”