07.09.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - The House Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing last night examining the VA's shortcomings in appropriately responding to information provided by whistleblowers, and into claims that whistleblowers within the VA face negative repercussions for stepping forward. The hearing comes shortly after the Office of Special Counsel raised new concerns over the VA's response to whistleblower allegations relating to patient care and safety. Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking
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06.30.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - President Obama is expected to officially nominate Bob McDonald to serve as the next Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs today. McDonald is the retired President & CEO of Procter & Gamble, and also served for five years as a Captain in the U.S. Army.
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, released the following statement in response to McDonald's nomination:
"We have seen over the last few weeks that
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06.24.14 • Press Release
Washington, DC - House and Senate lawmakers serving on the Conference Committee for H.R. 3230, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, met today to discuss their goals for finalizing and sending to the President legislation that will address the ongoing VA healthcare crisis. Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, is serving on the conference.
"As we begin this important work on behalf of our
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06.23.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - As the House Veterans' Affairs Committee held an evening hearing on veterans' access to care, there were two new developments in the VA healthcare crisis today: a new report sent from the Office of the Special Counsel to President Obama, which raises serious concerns about the VA's responsiveness to whistleblowers about patient care and safety; as well as new allegations from the Phoenix VA that staffers were instructed to alter the files of deceased patients to downplay the
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06.09.14 • Press Release
Washington, DC - Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mike Michaud (D-ME) offered the following statement today in response to the VA's internal audit on scheduling practices:
"Today's latest report from the VA points to the work we have ahead of us. Veterans at too many facilities are not receiving the high-quality care that they deserve, and we will not stop working until we have rooted out all the systemic failures plaguing the VA.
"Paramount to addressing these failures is
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05.30.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, released the following statement today regarding the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki:Today is a sad day. What Secretary Shinseki did in tendering his resignation this morning was honorable.
"Today is a sad day. What Secretary Shinseki did in tendering his resignation this morning was honorable. Right or wrong, he was becoming the focal point of this issue - to the extent that
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05.29.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, released the following statement this evening:
"It is with a heavy heart that I call on Secretary Shinseki to step down as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Democrats and Republicans alike, in tandem with our Veteran Service Organizations and the millions of Americans who have served our nation, all want to get to the bottom of what exactly is broken with the VA system,
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05.29.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - This evening three officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs appeared before the Veterans' Affairs Committee in a rare, four hour evening hearing.
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the Committee, issued the following statement following the hearing:
"I'd like to thank the VA officials who appeared before our committee tonight. While I was encouraged to finally have direct engagement between members of our Committee and the VA, there are still
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05.22.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Mike Michaud, Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, this morning voted to authorize the issuance of an additional subpoena to VA officials should they fail to respond to an invitation to appear before the Committee by mid-next week. The Committee has early indications that the three VA officials will appear before the full committee on Wednesday. Today's motion provides for a subpoena to be automatically issued should the officials not appear
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05.22.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Mike Michaud, Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, sent a letter to President Obama this afternoon urging the President to use his executive authority to immediately implement key reforms in the Department of Veteran's Affairs executive management system. The reforms Rep. Michaud is asking the President to implement through an Executive Order align with those presented in H.R. 4399, legislation Michaud introduced last month aimed at
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05.15.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Veterans' Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki testified before the Senate VA Committee this morning on the serious questions raised regarding veterans' healthcare and reports of cover-ups at a number of VA facilities related to lengthy wait-times for treatment. Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, released the following statement:
"I first want to thank Secretary Shinseki for testifying before the Senate VA Committee today
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05.08.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - The House Veterans' Affairs Committee voted this morning to issue a subpoena to the Department of Veterans Affairs for documents - electronic and written - containing information pertaining to the destruction of a waitlist within the Phoenix VA Health Care System. The subpoena, which procedurally was addressed to the Secretary, covers only documents between April 9, 2014 and May 8, 2014. The subpoena issued today is not for individuals, and does not compel any VA
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05.06.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, the American Legion called on several Department of Veterans' Affairs senior leaders to resign, including Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. The Legion indicated the call for leadership changes at the top follows a number of high-profile concerns about veterans receiving critical care in a timely fashion. Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, issued the following statement:
"There is nothing I take
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04.30.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - This evening, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4486, a bill that provides funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs for the coming fiscal year that begins on October 1, and provides advance funding for VA medical care programs for the following year. H.R. 4486 provides nearly $160 billion for veterans' benefits and services.
Representative Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after
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04.23.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, is praising today's announcement that the White House is launching a new online resource for veterans, servicemembers and their dependents seeking employment. The Veterans Employment Center website will provide a central location for employers and veterans looking for work to come together. It will provide essential career tools to assist veterans and servicemembers making the
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04.08.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA-5), Don Young (R-AK-AL), Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mike Michaud (D-ME-2), and Bill Enyart (D-IL-12) today announced the formation of the bipartisan Veterans Congressional Fellowship Caucus. The mission of the Caucus is to increase the number of veterans working on Capitol Hill. To do this, veterans Thompson (U.S. Army 1967-1973) and Young (U.S. Army 1955-1957) will launch a new caucus fellowship program which will accept its
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04.07.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), the Ranking Member on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, has introduced new legislation aimed at improving outcomes for veterans through comprehensive program management and accountability reform within the Veterans Administration. H.R. 4399, the Comprehensive Department of Veteran's Affairs Performance Management and Accountability Reform Act of 2014, would take proactive measures to address senior executive performance management
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04.07.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - President Obama signed into law today bipartisan legislation that will address many of the immediate systemic problems within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, takes steps to ensure veterans receive care in a timely fashion, and also strengthens accountability and transparency within the Department.
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the House
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01.28.14 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee explored veteran recruiting and retention initiatives of the private sector. Wal-Mart, Microsoft Corporation, and JPMorgan Chase were among those testifying at today's hearing.
"Any employer should be proud to have an employee with the resiliency, leadership and collaboration skills that are fundamental to all our service men and women. However, far too often these experiences are not readily translated to match the needs of
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11.20.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - After approving a bill authorizing major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the House Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing that examined the VA's major construction program. Multiple internal and external reviews, including committee hearings, have found serious deficiencies in the management of the VA's construction program, leading to significant cost increases and substantial delays in the design and construction of medical center
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