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| President Obama 'madder than hell' over VA allegations, aide says | President Obama 'madder than hell' over VA allegations, aide says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Barack Obama is "madder than hell" about the scandal enveloping the Department of Veterans Affairs, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said on Sunday. | President Barack Obama is "madder than hell" about the scandal enveloping the Department of Veterans Affairs, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said on Sunday. |
| McDonough spoke two days after Dr Robert Petzel, the under-secretary for health, resigned amid a widening investigation into record falsification and allegations that at least 40 veterans died while waiting for appointments at a VA hospital in Phoenix. | McDonough spoke two days after Dr Robert Petzel, the under-secretary for health, resigned amid a widening investigation into record falsification and allegations that at least 40 veterans died while waiting for appointments at a VA hospital in Phoenix. |
| Dr Sam Foote, a whistleblower in the case, said on Sunday that Petzel's resignation was "a great first step". | |
| The Dayton Daily News reported that since 2001 the VA has paid out $36.4m to settle claims of “delay in treatment”. | |
| “The president is madder than hell,” McDonough told CBS's Face the Nation. “And I’ve got the scars to prove it, given the briefings I’ve given the president. | “The president is madder than hell,” McDonough told CBS's Face the Nation. “And I’ve got the scars to prove it, given the briefings I’ve given the president. |
| “Nobody is more outraged about these allegations than the president of the United States.” | “Nobody is more outraged about these allegations than the president of the United States.” |
| On the same talk show Dan Dellinger, head of the American Legion, said it was “unforgivable” that the VA had been hiding delays and called again for the Veterans Affairs secretary, Eric Shinseki, to resign. | On the same talk show Dan Dellinger, head of the American Legion, said it was “unforgivable” that the VA had been hiding delays and called again for the Veterans Affairs secretary, Eric Shinseki, to resign. |
| “The issue is we are having veterans die waiting for the care they have earned,” Dellinger said, before calling on Obama to speak out. “We need the White House to come forward,” he said. | “The issue is we are having veterans die waiting for the care they have earned,” Dellinger said, before calling on Obama to speak out. “We need the White House to come forward,” he said. |
| Shinseki refused to step down at a stormy Senate hearing this week. He too said he was “mad as hell” about the allegations of fatal delays and cover-ups. Critics pointed to a 14-day limit to provide care for veterans applying for the first time that was introduced by Shinseki. They said the system was unworkable and resulted in VA administrators devising ways to cover up months-long delays. | Shinseki refused to step down at a stormy Senate hearing this week. He too said he was “mad as hell” about the allegations of fatal delays and cover-ups. Critics pointed to a 14-day limit to provide care for veterans applying for the first time that was introduced by Shinseki. They said the system was unworkable and resulted in VA administrators devising ways to cover up months-long delays. |
| “No one should be treated this way in a country as great as ours,” the Arizona Republican John McCain told Shinseki. | “No one should be treated this way in a country as great as ours,” the Arizona Republican John McCain told Shinseki. |
| “The standard practice at the VA seems to be to hide the truth in order to look good,” said the Washington Democrat Patty Murray. “That has got to change once and for all.” | “The standard practice at the VA seems to be to hide the truth in order to look good,” said the Washington Democrat Patty Murray. “That has got to change once and for all.” |
| Critics also rounded on Shinseki’s impassive testimony at the hearing. | Critics also rounded on Shinseki’s impassive testimony at the hearing. |
| “We don’t score testimony on Capitol Hill or otherwise,” said McDonough. “What we score is results to the services and benefits that our vets have earned. | “We don’t score testimony on Capitol Hill or otherwise,” said McDonough. “What we score is results to the services and benefits that our vets have earned. |
| “The president’s demanding that we get to the bottom of the exact allegations that you're talking about as it relates to whether veterans are getting the timely access to care that they have earned.” | “The president’s demanding that we get to the bottom of the exact allegations that you're talking about as it relates to whether veterans are getting the timely access to care that they have earned.” |
| On Sunday, Dr Foote told Fox News he believed Shinseki should stay in his job to keep the focus on fixing the problem. | |
| "I think our best bet at this point is to keep the secretary on board,” he said. “But I think the president needs to keep him on a pretty short leash.” | |
| The VA medical system conducts more than 230,000 appointments every day and is the country’s largest. More than 10 million veterans are covered by the system, which has come under increasing strain from an ageing population and the admission of 2 million new patients since 2009, thanks to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. | The VA medical system conducts more than 230,000 appointments every day and is the country’s largest. More than 10 million veterans are covered by the system, which has come under increasing strain from an ageing population and the admission of 2 million new patients since 2009, thanks to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. |
| “The buck has got to stop at the top,” said Dellinger. “If this was the military you would be relieved of duty.” | “The buck has got to stop at the top,” said Dellinger. “If this was the military you would be relieved of duty.” |