WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–President Barack Obama announced the resignation of Veterans Administration Secretary Eric Shinseki, and reaction and advice from Capitol Hill was quick to follow. Here is a partial transcript of the news conference in which the President announced the resignation:
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THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. A few minutes ago, Secretary Shinseki and Rob Nabors, who I’ve temporarily assigned to work with the VA, presented me with the department’s initial review of VA facilities nationwide. And what they’ve found is that the misconduct has not been limited to a few VA facilities, but many across the country. That’s totally unacceptable. Our veterans deserve the best. They’ve earned it. Last week, I said that if we found misconduct, it would be punished. And I meant it.
Secretary Shinseki has now begun the process of firing many of the people responsible, including senior leaders at the Phoenix VA. He’s canceled any possible performance bonuses this year for VHA senior executives. And he has ordered the VA to personally contact every veteran in Phoenix waiting for appointments to get them the care that they need and that they deserve.
This morning, I think some of you also heard Ric take a truly remarkable action — in public remarks, he took responsibility for the conduct of those facilities, and apologized to his fellow veterans and to the American people. And a few minutes ago, Secretary Shinseki offered me his own resignation. With considerable regret, I accepted.
Ric Shinseki has served his country with honor for nearly 50 years. He did two tours of combat in Vietnam — he’s a veteran who left a part of himself on the battlefield. He rose to command the First Cavalry Division, served as Army Chief of Staff, and has never been afraid to speak truth to power.
As Secretary at the VA, he presided over record investments in our veterans — enrolling 2 million new veterans in health care, delivering disability pay to more Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, making it easier for veterans with post-traumatic stress, mental health issues and traumatic brain injury to get treatment, improving care for our women veterans. At the same time, he helped reduce veteran homelessness, and helped more than 1 million veterans, servicemembers and their families pursue their education under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
So Ric’s commitment to our veterans is unquestioned. His service to our country is exemplary. I am grateful for his service, as are many veterans across the country. He has worked hard to investigate and identify the problems with access to care, but as he told me this morning, the VA needs new leadership to address them. He does not want to be a distraction, because his priority is to fix the problem and make sure our vets are getting the care that they need. That was Ric’s judgment on behalf of his fellow veterans. And I agree. We don’t have time for distractions. We need to fix the problem.
For now, the leader that will help move us forward is Sloan Gibson, who will take on the reins as Acting Secretary. Sloan became Deputy Secretary at the VA just three months ago, but he, too, has devoted his life to serving our country and our veterans. His grandfather fought on the front lines of World War I. His father was a tail-gunner in World War II. Sloan graduated from West Point, earned his Airborne and Ranger qualifications, and served in the infantry. And most recently, he was President and CEO of the USO, which does a remarkable job supporting our men and women at war, their families, our wounded warriors, and families of the fallen.
So all told, Sloan has 20 years of private sector and nonprofit experience that he brings to bear on our ongoing work to build a 21st century VA. And I’m grateful that he is willing to take on this task.
I met with Sloan after I met with Ric this morning, and made it clear that reforms should not wait. They need to proceed immediately. I’ve also asked Rob Nabors to stay at the VA temporarily to help Sloan and the department through this transition, and to complete his own review of the VHA. In the meantime, we’re going to look diligently for a new permanent VA Secretary and we hope to confirm that successor and fill that post as soon as possible.
We’re going to do right by our veterans across the board, as long as it takes. We’re not going to stop working to make sure that they get the care, the benefit, and the opportunities that they’ve earned and they deserve. I said we wouldn’t tolerate misconduct, and we will not. I said that we have to do better, and we will. There are too many veterans receiving care right now who deserve all of our best efforts — and an honest assessment if something is not working.
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Among Jewish members of the U.S. Congress, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders, chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, was among the first to react. He said:
“Secretary Shinseki is an American hero who courageously served his country in war, rose to be the Army chief of staff and has dedicated his distinguished career to helping his fellow soldiers and veterans. I am sad that he resigned. The unequivocal goal of the VA must be to provide the highest-quality health care possible to all of our veterans in a timely manner. The new leadership must transform the culture of the VA, establish accountability and punish those responsible for the reprehensible manipulation of wait times. As chairman of the Senate veterans’ committee I look forward to working with President Obama, the new VA leadership and my Senate colleagues to make that happen.”
Other comments, in alphabetical order, included:
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado): “Secretary Shinseki and his military service and sacrifice to his country have been extraordinary. His willingness to step down to avoid being a distraction in this difficult time is a reflection of how much he cares about our veterans. Though it is likely we will find that the fault for this terrible disservice to our veterans lies with many people, the Secretary is right to take responsibility and offer an opportunity for a fresh approach. Secretary Shinseki’s resignation does not by itself improve anything for the veterans we serve. Moving forward, we are committed to working with Acting Secretary Sloan Gibson and the administration to fix all of the ongoing problems at the VA, including a renewed and redoubled effort to get the VA hospital in Aurora built.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut): “I deeply respect Secretary Shinseki’s decision to resign after concluding that his continued service would be a distraction from the urgent and necessary overhaul from top to bottom of a health care system that is failing our veterans. The immediate challenge is not replacing one person, but fixing what is desperately wrong at the VA. The next VA secretary needs to show the American people a sense of urgency and passion with specific decisive action to correct decades-old delay and failings in health care delivery. Such action must include better information systems, more doctors, more efficient patient care, and other far-reaching reforms that change the culture as well as the practices. We should also hold accountable anyone who acted criminally in doctoring documents, destroying documents, and making full statements – in effect cooking the books and covering it up. The stark, tragic fact is that VA employees lied to Secretary Shinseki and the American people and gave him false and fraudulent information. Firing them should be made easier by legislation pending in the Senate, which should be passed immediately. Our priority must be to give our veterans first class, world class medicine, which they need and deserve.”
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland): “I have been deeply disturbed by the accusations and reports regarding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs leadership and their failure to care of our ill and injured veterans. Like President Obama, I find these issues with the VA completely unacceptable. I am committed to meeting the obligations made to those who have sacrificed for our freedom. General Eric Shinseki has served this country honorably for nearly five decades. His dedication to his fellow veterans is unmatched. Now that he has resigned his position, we should collectively turn to the real problem at hand which is to make significant changes in the VA system so that our military veterans can receive the timely, quality health care they deserve. Millions are helped each year by the VA health care system, but more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan has overwhelmed a system already bursting at the seams. There must be other options made available.”
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennesseee): “The brave men and women who have risked life and limb for our nation’s security deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and we owe it to them to ensure they receive the finest medical care possible. We know for many veterans, our commitment to them has not been fulfilled. Veterans and their families have suffered. Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, chose to resign. While I join with President Obama in applauding Secretary Shinseki for his service, I also commend him on stepping down, knowing that the Department of Veterans Affairs needs a new beginning with the focus firmly placed on our veterans. While his resignation will not solve the systemic and severe problems at the VA that have called into question the care provided to our nation’s heroes, I hope that it will convince some in Congress that not every solution begins with spending cuts. I look forward to continuing my work with President Obama and members of both parties in Congress to get all the facts, fix the problems, and make sure that anyone who served this country in uniform receives timely, high-quality care at the Memphis VA or any other VA Medical Center.”
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-New York): “General Eric Shinseki has served our country honorably. His career was built on putting his country first, and his decision to resign as Secretary of Veterans Affairs reflects that principle. Questions concerning General Shinseki’s management of the VA were a diversion. His resignation removes that distraction; however, it doesn’t solve the problem. A complete managerial failure led to this intolerable situation. That cannot be repeated. Our veterans deserve nothing less than a full accounting of the department’s failings, and an immediate fix.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California): “Our veterans deserve everything our country can offer, from housing to job opportunities to health care. Unfortunately, it has become clear that there are systemic problems within the VA that must be addressed. Veterans are waiting too long for health care and it has become clear that some VA personnel are using deceptive practices to hide these egregious wait times. These problems are unacceptable and require immediate attention. Whoever heads up the Department of Veterans Affairs must have the authority to terminate negligent senior managers. The House passed a bill to provide this authority and the Senate should consider similar legislation as a first order of business. The only way we can ensure veterans receive the care they deserve is to have real accountability within the VA, from top to bottom. Eric Shinseki is a distinguished public servant, having risen through the ranks to become a four-star general and Army chief of staff. It is unfortunate he had to resign as head of Veterans Affairs before he was given the tools needed to truly reform the system. But our job now is to come together and find solutions to these problems. Our veterans deserve nothing less.”
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Florida), who notes she is the mother of a U.S. Marine veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan: ““The mission for the VA is to make sure no veteran is ever left behind. The current investigation into the allegations must continue and the problems must be fixed. Our returning heroes have earned and deserve the health care they need without delay.”
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minnesota): “After many years of honorable service to our nation, I believe Secretary Shinseki did the right thing for our veterans by stepping down. While he made significant progress on a number of fronts as Secretary, there has clearly been a systemic problem in the VA in delivering care to veterans on a timely basis. Putting new leadership in place is a necessary step toward restoring confidence in the VA and fixing the problems that have hurt our veterans. Moving forward, we must do everything possible to restore trust and ensure that veterans in Minnesota and across the country can get the best possible care without undue delay. Our veterans deserve no less.”
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-California): ““Secretary Shinseki has served our nation proudly and heroically for more than four decades, both in the field as a soldier and from his leadership role at the VA. While his resignation will not solve the systemic challenges within the VA and its medical facilities, this presents a new opportunity for Congress, the White House, and the Secretary’s replacement to work together to address the shortcomings and the growing needs of the VA. Whoever is selected to replace Secretary Shinseki has a daunting task to champion. To make the kind of institutional changes to solve the problems highlighted in the Inspector General’s report will require thoughtful and expedient collaboration. I look forward to participating in such collaboration.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-California): “The President has accepted the resignation of VA Secretary Shinseki, and top leaders of the Phoenix office have been let go — the overhaul of the VA has now begun in earnest. The Administration must act quickly to investigate and address chronic deficiencies and intolerable wait periods at VA’s around the country. And Congress must help prepare for the surge in demand for Veteran’s healthcare as the wounded from the nation’s most recent wars continue to grapple with severe injuries and trauma. Veterans in my district should know that if they experience any problem with the VA that we can assist with, please reach out to me. My office routinely assists veterans from our community in their efforts to get the treatment, medicine and care from the VA that they have earned, and we are ready to help you in any way.”
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pennsylvania): “As the daughter of a Korean War veteran, it is critical that we take this time of transition at the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that all our veterans have access to the resources and care needed to honor their service and sacrifice to our country. Congress must act swiftly to provide the VA all necessary resources so it may provide the highest level of service to our veterans.”
Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky): “The ongoing revelations of undelivered care and misconduct at VA medical facilities are a national disgrace. The administration, Congress, and VA leaders must continue to investigate so that everyone can be held accountable for these failures, and so we can ensure our VA health care system has the resources it needs to provide the best care for our veterans, who have more than earned it. Secretary Shinseki has taken responsibility for these failures, and his resignation provides an opportunity for new leadership to begin to address widespread mismanagement in the VA system and take swift corrective action. I thank Secretary Shinseki for his service to our nation, and I wish him the best.”
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Preceding compiled by San Diego Jewish World from news releases