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Obama vows to uphold 'sacred trust' to veterans amid intensifying scandal Obama vows to uphold 'sacred trust' to veterans amid intensifying scandal
(about 4 hours later)
At the end of a week in which a scandal engulfing the Department of Veterans Affairs intensified, President Barack Obama on Saturday said the US must “keep working” to “uphold our sacred trust to all who've served”.At the end of a week in which a scandal engulfing the Department of Veterans Affairs intensified, President Barack Obama on Saturday said the US must “keep working” to “uphold our sacred trust to all who've served”.
Also on Saturday, the VA said it would allow more veterans to obtain healthcare at private hospitals and clinics. VA secretary Eric Shinseki announced the change, saying his department's facilities were enhancing their clinic capacity to help veterans get care sooner.
In cases where officials could not increase capacity at VA centers, Shinseki said the agency would "increase the care we acquire in the community through non-VA care”.
The VA is facing allegations that veterans died while awaiting treatment at VA centres, and that employees falsified appointment records to cover up delays in care. The Republican Arizona senator John McCain and other lawmakers have called for the VA to allow more veterans to receive medical care at private hospitals.
Obama – whom a spokesman last week described as “madder than hell” about the VA scandal – was delivering his weekly address on the first day of the long Memorial Day weekend.Obama – whom a spokesman last week described as “madder than hell” about the VA scandal – was delivering his weekly address on the first day of the long Memorial Day weekend.
The VA secretary, Eric Shinseki, is under pressure from Republicans in Congress, as an investigation continues into allegations, made by whistleblowers, of delays in treatment and preventable deaths in the VA healthcare system. Shinseki is under pressure from Republicans in Congress. On 16 May, a day after he appeared before a hostile Senate committee, the top doctor in the department, Robert Petzel, tendered his resignation. On Thursday the House Speaker, John Boehner, said he was “closer” to calling for Shinseki to resign.
On 16 May, a day after Shinseki appeared before a hostile Senate committee, the top doctor in the department, Robert Petzel, tendered his resignation. On Thursday the House Speaker, John Boehner, said he was “closer” to calling for Shinseki to resign. On Friday the defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, defended Shinseki, but added: “We know things went wrong. Somebody's got to be accountable here, like in any institution.”
On Friday, the defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, defended Shinseki, but added: “We know things went wrong. Somebody's got to be accountable here, like in any institution.” Earlier in the week, after meeting the VA secretary, Obama told a White House news conference: “Rick Shinseki serves this country because he cares deeply about veterans and I know that if he thinks he has let our veterans down then he is not going to be interested in continuing to serve.
Earlier in the week, after meeting Shinseki, Obama told a White House news conference: ““Rick Shinseki serves this country because he cares deeply about veterans and I know that if he thinks he has let our veterans down then he is not going to be interested in continuing to serve.
“At this stage Rick is committed to solving the problem and I am going to do everything in my power to help … but I am also going to be waiting to see what the results of all this review process yields."“At this stage Rick is committed to solving the problem and I am going to do everything in my power to help … but I am also going to be waiting to see what the results of all this review process yields."
On Saturday, in his address and after greeting the Memorial Day weekend as “the unofficial start of summer”, Obama said: “Let’s keep working to make sure that our country upholds our sacred trust to all who’ve served.On Saturday, in his address and after greeting the Memorial Day weekend as “the unofficial start of summer”, Obama said: “Let’s keep working to make sure that our country upholds our sacred trust to all who’ve served.
“In recent weeks, we’ve seen again how much more our nation has to do to make sure all our veterans get the care they deserve.“In recent weeks, we’ve seen again how much more our nation has to do to make sure all our veterans get the care they deserve.
“As commander in chief, I believe that taking care of our veterans and their families is a sacred obligation. It’s been one of the causes of my presidency. And now that we’ve ended the war in Iraq, and as our war in Afghanistan ends as well, we have to work even harder as a nation to make sure all our veterans get the benefits and opportunities they’ve earned.“As commander in chief, I believe that taking care of our veterans and their families is a sacred obligation. It’s been one of the causes of my presidency. And now that we’ve ended the war in Iraq, and as our war in Afghanistan ends as well, we have to work even harder as a nation to make sure all our veterans get the benefits and opportunities they’ve earned.
“They’ve done their duty, and they ask nothing more than that this country does ours – now and for decades to come.”“They’ve done their duty, and they ask nothing more than that this country does ours – now and for decades to come.”
The VA cares for more than 10 million veterans through approximately 1,700 hospitals, clinics and other facilities which have come under increased strain with the end of the war in Iraq, the approaching end of the war in Afghanistan, new post-traumatic stress cases and Agent Orange victims from the Vietnam war.The VA cares for more than 10 million veterans through approximately 1,700 hospitals, clinics and other facilities which have come under increased strain with the end of the war in Iraq, the approaching end of the war in Afghanistan, new post-traumatic stress cases and Agent Orange victims from the Vietnam war.
Twenty-six VA facilities are being investigated nationwide, the VA's office of inspector general told the Associated Press on Tuesday.Twenty-six VA facilities are being investigated nationwide, the VA's office of inspector general told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, asked what he would do if allegations of attempts to cover up the problems at VA hospital were proved true, Obama said: “It is dishonourable, it is disgraceful and I will not tolerate it.”On Wednesday, asked what he would do if allegations of attempts to cover up the problems at VA hospital were proved true, Obama said: “It is dishonourable, it is disgraceful and I will not tolerate it.”