Fixing the VA is not a partisan issue; its an American issue
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. A few weeks ago my Democratic Colleague from Massachusetts Seth Moulton
posted a Facebook video that went viral. One of his staffers who is also a Veteran
tried for several minutes to make an appointment with this local VA Medical Center by phone only to be pushed through a never-ending cycle of prompts that kept taking him back to the beginning. He was never able to talk to a real person and was unsuccessful in scheduling an appointment.
The reaction was universal Thats outrageous!"
Whats even more outrageous is that no one was particularly surprised. This level of customer service from the VA has come to be expected and that is deeply unfortunate.
I am working to change that.
Fixing the VA is not a partisan issue. It is an American issue. I served alongside our men and women in uniform while in the CIA so Ive seen first-hand the level of dedication and the extreme sacrifices.
Last week I called VA officials to testify before a hearing of my IT Subcommittee for Oversight and Government Reform. We drilled down on technical difficulties and cyber vulnerabilities that the VA is currently dealing with. Sadly like at any federal government agency there are many.
Veterans need to know that their personal information is secure at the VA. And they should be able to have their medical records digitally transferred to the VA after leaving the service. Having to print them out and physically carry them to their doctor is ridiculous in the 21st Century.
As Chairman of this committee it is my job to hold agencies like the VA accountable for improving their cybersecurity posture and employing new technology that allows them to be more effective and cost-efficient.
I also used this opportunity to talk about
The Faster Care for Veterans Act a simple bipartisan bill I and many of my colleagues have cosponsored. It calls upon the VA to commence a pilot program that will use private-sector self-scheduling technologies at VA facilities giving Veterans the ability to schedule an appointment online.
Not only will this improve customer service for our Veterans it will help hold the VA accountable. Those secret hand-written waiting lists will no longer be possible under this kind of system. Co-sponsoring this legislation was a no-brainer and I look forward to working to gather more support and get it across the finish line.
But there is always more I can do -- not just in Congress but right here at home.
Two of my staffers Retired Air Force General and surgeon David Young and Army Veteran Jon Arnold and I stand ready to help Veterans navigate the VA system answer questions and expedite paperwork. Weve also held several panels on the Choice Card and will hold more this year in communities across the district.
Please call our San Antonio office and let us know if you need help 210-921-3130. Veterans in the 23rd Congressional District of Texas can rest assured that I am working hard to fix our broken VA and help them get the care they need.
Congressman Will Hurd
a former CIA undercover officer in the Middle East & South Asia for nearly a decade is a member of the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform where he serves as Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee where he is Vice Chair of the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee. Hurd is also a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security. He represents the 23rd District of Texas.
