MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Department of Veterans' Affairs

Interview

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SCHULTZ: Joining us tonight, the man who quarterback this whole thing and I want to say that had it not been for Bernie Sanders we would not be at this point and have a chance to address this crisis in this country.

Chairman of the Senate, Veteran`s Affairs Committee. Senator, good to have with us tonight, at this hour, where are we on this bill? Is this really going to happen?

SANDERS: Yeah. The House passed that yesterday by a very strong vote and I expect that we`ll have a vote within a few hours right here and we will pass it.

SCHULTZ: OK. Senator, does it take a crisis like this for a congress to do anything? And I don`t mean to sound terribly politically jaded here but it seems to me that the Republicans didn`t want to go home waving the flag saying they support the troops when they left the veterans behind. How much will that play in any of this?

SANDERS: Well, I think that`s exactly right. Look, everybody understands that when you send people off to war and they come back with all kind of injuries, with post traumatic, stress disorder, with traumatic brain injury, without legs, without arms, you have a moral responsibility to make sure they get the benefits and the care that they are entitle to. And right now, there`s no secret. There are very long waiting lines in VA facilities allover this country. It`s an issue that we have to address, this bill does that.

SCHULTZ: How far does it go to solve the problems that were in front and center weeks ago, in dealing with the backlog? I mean will this really alleviate the problem?

SANDERS: All right, it`s going to go along way but not as far as I would like. It will be good for year, a year and a half. I think we`re going to have to come back and discuss this issue again. What it does do Ed, is first provide $10 billion in emergency funding to make sure that every veteran in this county who`s in the VA will be able to get to see a doctor inside or outside of the VA community health center or what. So we`re going to deal with the waiting list, that way.

Second of all, we`re putting $5 billion to make sure that the VA has the doctors and nurses, medical personnel and space that they need so that in the future, when veterans come in to the VA, they got to get quality care and they`re going to get it in a timely manner. Thirdly, if you live a long distance away from the VA, more than 40 miles, you will be able to go to a private doctor within your community.

So this is a very, very good start. I have a feeling that we`re going to need to do more work. But for the next year, a year and half I think the VA is going to be in pretty good shape.

SCHULTZ: So senator, how soon after this is signed by the president? Do you expect this bill to have an impact? When will veterans know that it`s a different ball game?

SANDERS: Well, as soon as the rules can be implemented but I think we`ll be moving pretty quickly. Right now, already the VA has aggressively reached out for those veterans on waiting list, getting them in to a private facilities. They`ll be able to do that now much better in the coming months.

SCHULTZ: Senator, does this, you know, show that congress can do something? I mean there`s not a whole lot going to -- happening. I mean if it had not been for you, this would not have unfolded in a positive manner.

SANDERS: Ed, if you have people who are serious about addressing real problems, of course things can happen. In this case, John McCain, the Republican came forward, said he wanted to work with me and we`re able to get it through the senate. Jeff Miller, the chairman of the House Veterans Committee, so serious guy, he wanted to make something happen. We`re able to bring the house and the senate together.

Bottom line is that this country today faces enormous problems. If there is a wheel on the house plot, on the Republican hot side which we have not yet seen in most respects, of course we can make things happen. And it`s an absolute disgrace. And given the problems facing this country, congress has done so little.

SCHULTZ: How hard was it for the Republicans to fork out $17 billion?

SANDERS: Well, it`s going to be $12 billion because some of that is offset within the VA. This is not ...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

SANDERS: ... easy for them. But I think the case that we made, over and over again until the American people understand Ed, is taking care of veterans is as much a cost of war, as the cost of wars and tanks and guns. The American people understand that. That`s what they wanted and that`s eventually where the Republicans came to us with.

SCHULTZ: Senator Bernie Sanders, congratulations. Great work. Thank you for what you`re doing for America.

SANDERS: Thank you Ed.

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