July 25, 2014

Ongoing House and Senate negotiations to address issues exposed by the Phoenix VA hospital scandal slowed this week as the two sides could not agree on how much funding the VA requires or how to pay for it.  

House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairmen Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have both put forth their own proposals. Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson offered a third alternative last week.  

After a promising start to the negotiations the two sides appeared to drift further apart this week over funding, and now negotiators have only a week to pass legislation before breaking for August recess.  

Fortunately, both sides are still talking and despite a rocky week it appears both Miller and Sanders remain committed to working together to reach a middle ground.  

Due to the urgency of the situation, MOAA and many Veteran Service Organizations have pressed Congress to find common ground and address this unacceptable problem plaguing the VA before leaving Washington at the end of next week.