Veterans Reforms Begich Championed in Alaska to Become Law

Press Release

Senate Passes Bipartisan Veterans Bill, Which Heads to President's Desk

U.S. Senator Mark Begich voted today for final passage of the veteran's reform bill, also known as the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014,a bipartisan compromise that will increase access to health care for veterans in Alaska and across the nation, as well as provide much-needed reforms to the current system.

The bill has now passed both the House and Senate, and heads to the President to be signed into law. Begich was a member of the Veterans' Conference Committee charged with negotiating a compromise between the House and Senate veterans' reform bill.

"I'm glad my colleagues in the House and Senate could put aside partisan politics and do what's right for our veterans and I am eager to see Alaska's successful programs being implemented nationwide," said Begich. "There are dramatic changes in store for the VA in the coming months. They finally have additional funding to hire more doctors and nurses and the new VA leadership has the tools they need to hold VA staff accountable for the delivery of quality care. As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee I will be keeping a close eye on the VA overhaul in the coming months. I want to see quick and measureable progress because our veterans deserve the best care available. They have earned it."

"Senator Begich was instrumental in getting this bill done -- bringing valuable experience from reforming the Alaska VA and reducing wait times for veterans seeking health care. We used Alaska as a model for some of the key reforms in this legislation," said Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee and lead negotiator on the veterans' reform bill. "This is a good bill for veterans across the nation and I am glad we the Senate moved forward on this bipartisan compromise."

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