Press Releases

04.11.18 • Press Release

Chairman Roe, Ranking Member Walz Announce First-Ever HVAC Member Day

Washington, D.C. - Today, Reps. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, respectively, announced the committee’s first-ever bipartisan member day to give members of Congress the opportunity to testify before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs about veterans issues in their districts. “Since I’ve served as Chairman, I’ve traveled around the country to conduct oversight at VA facilities and hear directly … Read More

04.04.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following Abrupt Firing Of Secretary Shulkin

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement: “We need to get back to the work of serving veterans. I don’t know a lot about Admiral Jackson, but I know he has a lot of work to do following the chaos and dysfunction President Trump has created at the VA,” said Rep. Walz, the highest ranking enlisted servicemember ever to serve in Congress. “The stakes are high and Admiral Jackson must put veterans first, … Read More

03.26.18 • Press Release

Reps. Correa & Walz Call For Cannabis Research Funding For Veterans

Washington DC - Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46) and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Tim Walz (MN-01) called for funding to research the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis in treating veterans diagnosed with PTSD and chronic pain. Rep. Lou Correa said, “It is imperative to the health and safety of our veterans that we find alternative treatments for chronic pain and service-related injuries. Throughout my district, I meet veterans who depend on cannabis to manage … Read More

03.07.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following IG Report Detailing Critical Deficiencies At Washington, D.C. VA Medical Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report detailing critical and systemic deficiencies at the Washington, D.C. VA Medical Center: “The findings detailed in OIG’s report are indicative of a complete and total failure on the part of D.C. VA’s leadership that led to a culture of complacency that put veterans … Read More

03.06.18 • Press Release

Walz, Tester Call On Administration To Release Details On Newly Established Partnership With Cohen Veterans Network

WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Members of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees Representative Tim Walz (D-Minn.) and Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) issued the following statement after they sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requesting that the Administration provide any documents relating to the establishment of the partnership between VA and Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) as well as answers to eleven specific questions in the letter. “The nature of the … Read More

02.28.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following Update On Inspector General Review Of Hacking Allegations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after receiving an update from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General Michael Missal on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) review of recent allegations of “hacking” or other deceptive practices relating to former VA Chief of Staff Vivieca Wright Simpson’s VA email account: “Earlier this month, I referred to OIG and DOJ allegations made by VA … Read More

02.16.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following Reports of Koch Brothers Infiltration at VA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement: “The reports made in the New York Times and the Washington Post in the last 24 hours confirm what many of us in the veterans community have long speculated: that the Koch brothers and corporate interests are at the center of an effort to take over and privatize VA to make money. This behavior is disturbing, represents the worst of Washington politics, and must be … Read More

02.15.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Sends Letter To DOJ Requesting Review Of Hacked Email Allegations Made By VA Secretary Shulkin

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN), sent the following letter to Attorney General Jefferson Sessions urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review allegations made by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Dr. David Shulkin suggesting his chief of staff’s email may have been hacked: The Honorable Jefferson Sessions Attorney General 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20530 Dear Mr. … Read More

02.14.18 • Press Release

Walz, Roe, Isakson, Tester, Statement on IG Report Regarding VA Secretary Travel

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and U.S. Representatives Phil Roe, R-Tenn., and Tim Walz, D-Minn., chairman and ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General’s (IG) report on travel by VA Secretary David Shulkin and other VA officials to Europe in July … Read More

02.06.18 • Press Release

Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Brownley Statement Following Hearing On Improvement And Expansion Of VA Caregiver Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Julia Brownley (D-CA) released the following statement after the full Committee met in open session to discuss the status of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. “When President Obama signed into law the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, our nation took a major step forward in providing care and benefits … Read More

01.30.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following State Of The Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress: “Since President Trump has taken office, he has not been the champion for veterans he promised to be,” said Rep. Walz, the highest ranking enlisted servicemember ever to serve in Congress. “During the 2016 presidential election, President Trump made service to veterans a central pillar … Read More

01.30.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Opening Statement: Full Committee Hearing On Appeals Reform Implementation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) gave the following opening statement as the Committee met in open session to conduct an oversight hearing examining the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) implementation of the PL 115-55, Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017. Ranking Member Walz Opening Statement As Prepared For Delivery Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act … Read More

01.17.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Opening Statement: Full Committee Hearing On The Denver Replacement Medical Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) gave the following opening statement as the Committee met in open session to conduct an oversight hearing on the replacement Denver VA Medical Facility. Ranking Member Walz Opening Statement As Prepared For Delivery Veterans have been waiting over 15 years for a replacement VA hospital and now it finally appears that Colorado veterans will have a state of the art facility this summer. We are … Read More

01.16.18 • Press Release

Following VA Refusal To Study Medical Cannabis, Ranking Member Walz Asks VA To Specify Barriers To Research

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN), released the following statement after he and four other Democratic members of the committee sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Dr. David Shulkin to clarify and reiterate their October 26 request for VA to begin research into medical cannabis and for VA to specify any and all barriers to VA-led research into medical cannabis. Today’s letter was sent in response to VA’s … Read More

01.09.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following Trump Executive Order On Veteran Mental Healthcare And Suicide Prevention

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN), released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order on veteran mental healthcare and suicide prevention. “When dealing with mental healthcare for veterans and combating the epidemic of veteran suicide, there is absolutely no room for partisanship,” said Rep. Walz, the highest ranking enlisted servicemember ever to serve in Congress. “I have long been a proponent of … Read More

01.04.18 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Responds To Trump Administration Changes In Marijuana Policy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN), released the following statement following news reports that Attorney General Jeff Sessions plans to instruct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to crackdown on states that have legalized recreational and medical cannabis. The news comes at the same time as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decision to allow VA doctors to discuss medical cannabis with veteran patients: “I am glad to see VA … Read More

12.19.17 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Statement Following VA Care In The Community Markup

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs passed H.R. 4242, the VA Care in the Community Act, out of committee: “I have always said it is imperative that any permanent solution to improve VA community care must empower rural veterans, help hometown doctors cut through federal red tape, increase access to high-quality, timely healthcare, maintain our commitment … Read More

12.07.17 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz: Trump Hiring Freeze Hurts VA’s Ability To Purchase Key Medical Devices, Continues To Undermine Veteran Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs met in open session to conduct an oversight hearing on the VA Medical/ Surgical Prime Vendor Next Generation (MSPV-NG) program, a program designed to streamline the purchasing of medical devices at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The primary focus of the hearing was on the Government Accountability Office’s report … Read More

12.07.17 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Responds To Trump Administration Attack On Programs Combating Veteran Homelessness

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN), released the following statement in response to news reports that the Trump Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) planned to end a $460 million program that had successfully reduced the number of veterans experiencing homelessness by over 50% since 2010. After outcry from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials, lawmakers, and advocacy groups for veterans and the homeless, … Read More

11.17.17 • Press Release

Ranking Member Walz Demands Details Into Trump Administration’s Secret Plan To Merge VA Choice And DoD TRICARE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after he sent the following letter to President Donald Trump, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Dr. David Shulkin, Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary James Mattis demanding the details of an Administration proposal - developed without input from Congress or veterans groups - to merge VA and DoD health systems and expand VA reliance on private care. In … Read More

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