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Eric Shinseki summoned to White House after report Veterans Secretary Eric Shinseki resigns after report
(35 minutes later)
Embattled US Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has been summoned to the White House amid growing calls for his resignation. Embattled US Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has resigned amid a scandal over delayed care and falsified records at the agency's hospitals.
President Barack Obama said on Friday he would have "a serious conversation" about whether Mr Shinseki was able to fix Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. President Barack Obama said Mr Shinseki told him he did not want to be a distraction as the agency tried to fix Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals.
A recent report revealed nationwide systemic problems with veterans' care including delays and falsified records. A recent report found veterans at an Arizona hospital waited an average of 115 days for an initial appointment.
On Friday Mr Shinseki said such problems were "totally unacceptable". Earlier on Friday Mr Shinseki said such problems were "totally unacceptable".
"I can't explain the lack of integrity," he told a homeless veterans group in a speech. "I will not defend it, because it is not defensible.""I can't explain the lack of integrity," he told a homeless veterans group in a speech. "I will not defend it, because it is not defensible."
The retired four-star general, who was himself wounded in Vietnam, said he would sack senior officials at a Phoenix healthcare facility where administrators falsified records to hide a lengthy backlog of veterans awaiting care. 'New leadership'
But he has come under growing pressure to resign from members of Congress from both parties and at least one major veterans group after reports that potentially dozens of veterans died while waiting for care. On Friday morning after an Oval Office meeting with Mr Shinseki, a retired four-star general, Mr Obama told reporters he had accepted Mr Shinseki's resignation "with considerable regret".
Mr Obama met Mr Shinseki in the Oval Office for an "update on the situation" on Friday morning. He is expected to make a statement to the news media about 11:15 local time (15:15 GMT). He said it was Mr Shinseki's decision to resign, and that Mr Shinseki had "worked hard to investigate and identify the problems with access to care".
"But as he told me this morning, the VA needs new leadership to address them," Mr Obama said.
Mr Shinseki's decision to step down came as his support among Mr Obama's own Democratic Party steadily eroded. Republicans in Congress and at least one major veterans group had called for him to step down earlier this month.
The US president said he had named Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson to be acting head of the agency.
Mr Shinseki had begun sacking senior officials at a Phoenix healthcare facility where administrators falsified records to hide a lengthy backlog of veterans awaiting care. He has also cancelled bonuses for top VA executives and ordered the agency to personally contact any veteran in Phoenix waiting for care.
The US veterans health system serves about nine million former US military service members.The US veterans health system serves about nine million former US military service members.
Its resources have been strained by the ageing population of Korean and Vietnam War veterans as well as the large influx of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.Its resources have been strained by the ageing population of Korean and Vietnam War veterans as well as the large influx of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
A inspector general's report released on Wednesday found military veterans at an Arizona hospital waited an average of 115 days for a first appointment.A inspector general's report released on Wednesday found military veterans at an Arizona hospital waited an average of 115 days for a first appointment.
But the Phoenix hospital initially reported to the agency an average wait time of only 24 days, the VA inspector general reported.But the Phoenix hospital initially reported to the agency an average wait time of only 24 days, the VA inspector general reported.
It also said at least 1,700 veterans were not even on waiting lists because they had not been properly registered.It also said at least 1,700 veterans were not even on waiting lists because they had not been properly registered.
"We have substantiated that significant delays in access to care negatively impacted the quality of care at this medical facility," acting inspector general Richard Griffin wrote in the report."We have substantiated that significant delays in access to care negatively impacted the quality of care at this medical facility," acting inspector general Richard Griffin wrote in the report.
President Barack Obama called the findings "deeply troubling".