Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake are calling for a Senate investigation and hearings into allegations that up to 40 Arizona veterans died while awaiting medical appointments at the Phoenix VA Medical Center.
The two Republican senators from Arizona sent a letter Wednesday to leaders of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs requesting a probe into "recent reports of gross mismanagement and neglect" at the facility.
McCain also wrote to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, citing a report in the Arizona Republic on whistle-blower allegations about veteran deaths and accusations about VA administrators keeping secret waiting lists.
"I am appalled by the number of veterans who stated to my office that the VA was just “waiting” or 'hoping' that they would die and be one less burden on the system," McCain wrote. "These increasing individual delays clearly illustrate systemic problems with how effectively the VA is providing care to our veterans." [Source]
Last week, Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, said the panel's investigators concluded as many as 40 Arizona veteran deaths could be related to VA delays in providing them medical care.
The two Republican senators from Arizona sent a letter Wednesday to leaders of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs requesting a probe into "recent reports of gross mismanagement and neglect" at the facility.
McCain also wrote to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, citing a report in the Arizona Republic on whistle-blower allegations about veteran deaths and accusations about VA administrators keeping secret waiting lists.
"I am appalled by the number of veterans who stated to my office that the VA was just “waiting” or 'hoping' that they would die and be one less burden on the system," McCain wrote. "These increasing individual delays clearly illustrate systemic problems with how effectively the VA is providing care to our veterans." [Source]
Last week, Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, said the panel's investigators concluded as many as 40 Arizona veteran deaths could be related to VA delays in providing them medical care.
