Photo Courtesy of Rep. Meng’s Office
“Our veterans need the care that they have earned, and that they deserve. They need it now,” Meng said on Friday.
By Forum Staff
The House of Representatives on Friday unanimously passed legislation which includes two amendments authored by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) that would provide employment opportunities for recently discharged service members, and address staffing shortages within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
According to Meng, the first amendment would require the secretary of the VA to establish a program that encourages members of the Armed Forces serving as health professionals to pursue jobs with the Veterans Health Administration upon their discharge or separation from the military.
The VHA, Meng noted, is a component of the VA and the largest integrated health care system in the country, providing care to millions of veterans through VA medical centers, clinics, and outpatient sites.
“As we all know, the VHA has existing shortages of health professionals,” Meng said on the House floor. “We also know that our service men and women sometimes have difficulty transitioning back to civilian life after serving. What could be better than having a service member with health care training and experience transition into employment with the VHA serving their brothers and sisters? Everyone wins with this amendment.”
Meng’s said her second amendment seeks to assist the VA secretary in filling VHA positions for which there are severe staffing shortages.
“Our veterans need the care that they have earned, and that they deserve. They need it now. The first step in that endeavor
is making sure that VA staffing levels are adequate,” the congresswoman added.
Under current law, the Inspector General of the VA must issue an annual report
