Obama vows to tackle VA problems, voices support for Shinseki
Published May 21, 2014
FoxNews.com


May 21, 2014: President Obama speaks at the White House in Washington.AP

President Obama, breaking his silence on the Veterans Affairs scandal, outlined steps Wednesday to "fix whatever is wrong" at the agency -- while stopping short of heeding calls to sack VA Secretary Eric Shinseki

The president described Shinseki as a "great soldier" who has "put his heart and soul into this thing."

At the same time, Obama is bringing in the White House deputy chief of staff, Rob Nabors, to oversee a broader review. He dispatched Nabors on Wednesday to Phoenix, where allegations of patient deaths tied to delayed care first surfaced.

"We've got to do better," Obama conceded, while indicating he wants to wait for the conclusion of internal probes before addressing whether any more top officials should resign.

"When I hear allegations of misconduct ... I will not stand for it," Obama said. "None of us should."

He added: "If these allegations prove to be true, it is dishonorable, it is disgraceful and I will not tolerate it -- period."

Obama then followed up with a list of what he claimed are his administration's accomplishments in taking care of vets and their families.

Leading Republicans swiftly criticized the president's long-awaited remarks as missing the mark.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said "it's time for serious action and accountability."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., himself a veteran and former prisoner of war, called Obama's statements "wholly insufficient in addressing the fundamental, systemic problems plaguing our veterans' health care system."

The president had faced criticism for staying silent as allegations mounted that veterans died while waiting for care, and VA workers misrepresented treatment information -- and for rebuffing calls for the secretary to resign.

But the controversy is expanding. Before his public remarks, Obama met with Shinseki Wednesday morning along with Nabors in the Oval Office. And a source confirmed to Fox News that White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough was heading to Capitol Hill Wednesday to consult with the chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General's Office also said late Tuesday that 26 facilities are now being investigated nationwide over allegations of manipulated waiting times and other issues.

The development comes as the House of Representatives prepares to vote Wednesday on a bill that would give the VA secretary greater authority to fire or demote senior executives.

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, sponsored the measure, saying VA officials who have presided over mismanagement or negligence are more likely to receive bonuses or glowing performance reviews than any sort of punishment.

The VA's "widespread and systemic lack of accountability is exacerbating all of its most pressing problems," including revelations that the department maintained secret waiting lists to cover up long delays in patient appointments and a mounting toll of preventable deaths of veterans, Miller said.

Miller accused the VA of a "well-documented reluctance to ensure its leaders are held accountable for mistakes" and said Congress has an obligation to "give the VA secretary the authority he needs to fix things. That's what my bill would do."

The controversy erupted in Phoenix last month after allegations of delayed care that may have led to patient deaths and a cover-up by top administrators.

A former clinic director said that as many as 40 veterans may have died while awaiting treatment at the Phoenix hospital and that staff, at the instruction of administrators, kept a secret list of patients waiting for appointments to hide delays in care.

Investigators probing the claims say they have so far not linked any patient deaths in Phoenix to delayed care.

The current director of the Phoenix VA Health Care System, Sharon Helman, has been placed on leave indefinitely while the VA's inspector general investigates the claims raised by several former VA employees.

Meanwhile, two Republican senators introduced legislation to prohibit payment of bonuses to employees at the Veterans Health Administration through next year. Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina and Deb Fischer of Nebraska said the VA should focus its spending on fixing problems at the agency, "not rewarding employees entrenched in a failing bureaucracy." Burr is the senior Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and Fischer is on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The House passed a bill in February that would eliminate performance bonuses for the department's senior executive staff through 2018.

Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, also called on Obama to back off plans to nominate Jeffrey Murawsky to replace the VA's undersecretary for health care, Robert Petzel, who has stepped down. Murawsky, a career VA administrator, directly supervised Helman from 2010 to 2012.

The White House has said Obama remains confident in Shinseki's leadership and is standing behind Murawsky's nomination.

I am livid about this, reading many posts on FB from friends across the US and realizing this is a wide spread problem. There is no excuse for this treatment under any administration or political party, this is a travesty to our Veterans and heads need to roll now. How many more deaths will happen before this pathetic department is held accountable and corrected. Obama was informed 6 years ago and I would not be surprised if Bush didn't also be negligent in the VA oversight. Leaving Shinseki in charge is a direct slap in the face as he is part of the problem. With the outcry in every state hopefully his days will be numbered.

I can copy the full article, if necessary, the VA abuse, treatment started way back during the Bush years, maybe back farther. I believe Obama will get to the bottom of this. this is no way honorable, on how our soldiers are treated.

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/05/22/va-scandal-reveals-real-problem-republicans-wars-cost-math.html

I am not surprised as i said if Bush was not guilty and even farther back, this is not a political party subject, Obama was informed of problems when he took office, so obviously it was already going on, I just wish for the veterans sake he had acted on this when he was first told, now he has signed a minimum wage hike for federal contractors, a Louisiana nursing home that has Veterans in it will have to move them out as they cannot pay the $10.10 an hour required since they have a federal contract and come under the heading of this new law, BUT VA nursing homes are not contractors so this does not apply to them. Makes no sense to me at all.
Republican wars as your post link said is not what this is about, it is about poor treatment in some cases leading to death 40 in Arizona and now more and more are coming forward in other states, but to leave the man in charge who is responsible is ludicrous, you boot Petraus for an affair and he was a highly decorated veteran, not someone responsible for deaths in VA health facility's . This is only coming to the surface heads will roll over this mess.

I agree SSC , he has many things to handle with the Bush/Cheney era.crash of economy.and many other things including two wars. and with the non working Republican congress, the man has put up with much degrading, and still does his job, he will see to this. I firmly believe. I do believe Congress should have passed the bill to help the Veterans, and upgrade facilities for Veterans, and they didn't though.I do blame them for that, I am sure there has been negligence on both parties.also on minimum wage, I don't believe the healthcare will not be able to meet the higher minimum wage. everything has gone up except minimum wage

Gyp once again this is not political so please don't try to sing Obama's praise, he has had 6 years to fix this and his own party is coming out in disgust, this is a Republican and Democrat and every US citizens problem, these men & women deserve better.

This is political,you have house Republicans who have not done their job for five years, since Obama became President, and yes I will sing his praises ,under the duress he has experienced, he has done very well he has had to fix all that was broken with the Bush era, Republicans have cut the Veterans benefits..it is sad when a party hates the president so bad they will not work with him on anything.if he said Breathe, Republicans would hold their breath! LOL Everything is Political when it involves War,country Jobs,and our soldiers being treated right. ok before we get to into this. I have made my point.I will refrain. Our complete country is Political,if one is interested in our country and its future. Thanks for the debate.

Obama to raise minimum wage for government contract workers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-raise-minimum-wage-for-government-contract-workers/2014/01/27/f7994b34-87cd-11e3-916e-e01534b1e132_story.html


President Obama will announce in the State of the Union address Tuesday that he will use his executive power to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour for workers on new government contracts, fulfilling a top demand by liberal lawmakers and groups, according to a White House document.

Obama will also renew his call for Congress to pass legislation to raise the federal minimum wage for all workers from $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour by 2015. But the president is taking the executive action with no clear timeline for Congress acting on the broader legislation. Previously, the White House said it wanted to concentrate on the legislative route for boosting the minimum wage

“Hardworking Americans — including janitors and construction workers — working on new federal contracts will benefit from the Executive Order (EO),” the White House said in a statement. “Some examples of the hardworking people who would benefit from an EO include military base workers who wash dishes, serve food and do laundry.”

An estimated 2 million Americans work on federal contracts, though the number of workers receiving the minimum wage would be a fraction of that.

A survey by the National Employment Law Project of contractors who manufacture military uniforms, provide food and janitorial services, and truck goods found that 75 percent of them earn less than $10 per hour. One in five was dependent on Medicaid for health care, and 14 percent used food stamps.

Obama’s action will only slowly trickle out into workers’ paychecks, beginning in 2015 and at the start of new contracts.

Liberal lawmakers have pushed the White House to use executive powers to boost the minimum wage. Fifteen senators wrote to Obama in the fall, saying that “profitable corporations that receive lucrative contracts from the federal government should pay all of their workers a decent wage.”

The White House argued that a higher minimum wage for federal contract workers would increase morale, reduce turnover and boost productivity. It added that government contractors would be able to manage the increase because only workers on new contracts would be eligible for the boost in the minimum wage.

Obama will also push for passage of a bill sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) that would raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 and index it to inflation. Congress last increased the minimum wage seven years ago.

Obama is planning in the State of the Union to describe other executive actions he will take this year — what aides describe as a touchstone to his style of governance in his final years in office.

gypsy wrote:This is political,you have house Republicans who have not done their job for five years, since Obama became President, and yes I will sing his praises ,under the duress he has experienced, he has done very well he has had to fix all that was broken with the Bush era, Republicans have cut the Veterans benefits..it is sad when a party hates the president so bad they will not work with him on anything.if he said Breathe, Republicans would hold their breath! LOL Everything is Political when it involves War,country Jobs,and our soldiers being treated right.

You just don't get it, my post is not about the politics of Obama or Bush or anyone else it is about our Veterans being left to die by a broken system. Stop with the cheerleading for Obama and the blame game, Obama is no better than Bush if this was going on during his time in office, don't you understand this, stop making excuses for Obama and diverting the blame. he better put his big boy drawers on and get this fixed even if he has to fire the whole Veterans oversight committee they obviously are not doing their job.

Good! it is time for a wage increase with the cost of living,all has to do with check and balance !! use your power, anytime it benefits our working class/poor, the big money doesn't need saved.

Gyp that raise isn't for everyone only Federal contractors, it isn't going to help the majority of people working minimum wage jobs, it is only for those who's employment is government based, not your checker at the grocery or the ones behind the counter at a gas station, this is only for a chosen few.

yes it will benefit all minimum wage people. it make come in steps, it is time for working class to get a raise, and women equality pay..I will continue to praise our President, he is doing his job; Again everything in America is Political..

a minimum wage for all is years down the road, it isn't going to happen anytime soon, to many small businesses are in an uproar that it will put them out of business or they will have to raise prices so much it will kill their business. I agree women should have equal pay, I was lucky on my storm jobs I was paid very well.

But it will happen.and Obama is pushing it. I can't understand people who don't embrace it. Obama has always had his big britches on., remember he is Black,  and some of the South hate him, as do you Republicans,,..Small business will actually benefit in the long run. What small business? Republicans have already destroyed them.

gypsy wrote:But it will happen.and Obama is pushing it. I can't understand people who don't embrace it. Obama has always had his big britches on., remember he is Black,  and some of the South hate him, as do you Republicans,,..Small business will actually benefit in the long run. What small business? Republicans have already destroyed them.

Congress Republicans will have to see the big picture, work with our people pass laws,create jobs they are not for us the people.they are not the Old Republican party,like Eisenhower, a good President/

There you go not only pulling the race card HE IS MIXED NOT ALL BLACK and if the bastard had been doing his job none of this mess we are in would be going on, and of course your did about southern republicans, Gypsy you just can't pass up a chance to pull your whining ass race cards and poor pity me republicans are the evil of the world. This topic was going pretty good, but once again you just can't stop with your biased bullshit. This was not about a half black president this was about treatment of Veterans, but you just couldn't resist the blame game. Wanna know the obvious truth I hate the ground he walks on, he has no guts, no military experience and no nerve. He is a spineless gutless wonder who has destroyed this country and now getting us in more messes, sending boots on the ground to Chad and the Ukraine they are not our business.I feel sorry for the 300 missing girls but what business is it of the US, not a damn thing and if Putin wants a part of Ukraine let them fight it out not us, what he does makes no sense at all. If he thinks that is a show of strength then he is a bigger fool than I thought he was. The end of my replies now make your final smart remark as always I will not reply you blew this one again.

SSC wrote:There you go not only pulling the race card HE IS MIXED NOT ALL BLACK and if the bastard had been doing his job none of this mess we are in would be going on, and of course your did about southern republicans, Gypsy you just can't pass up a chance to pull your whining ass race cards and poor pity me republicans are the evil of the world. This topic was going pretty good, but once again you just can't stop with your biased bullshit. This was not about a half black president this was about treatment of Veterans, but you just couldn't resist the blame game. Wanna know the obvious truth I hate the ground he walks on, he has no guts, no military experience and no nerve. He is a spineless gutless wonder who has destroyed this country and now getting us in more messes, sending boots on the ground to Chad and the Ukraine they are not our business.I feel sorry for the 300 missing girls but what business is it of the US, not a damn thing and if Putin wants a part of Ukraine let them fight it out not us, what he does makes no sense at all. If he thinks that is a show of strength then he is a bigger fool than I thought he was. The end of my replies now make your final smart remark as always I will not reply you blew this one again.

oh wow name calling now,and you have no reasoning,or common sense. you brought the ugly language out! Whining? you republicans just can't accept a black president. the whining has been on y'all a sad Congress,and Republican party no smart American would support. thanks that really shows what you are, you republicans make so many lies you can't even face real.. umm seems you mentioned Obama an your hatred. sad!
. Bush was not smart enough and had not really be elected (Jeb)Cheney, then we may not be in this mess,so glad you really expressed your hatred, many people see this,it is sad. What does military experience have to do with it/Bush jr was aol more than he was present,lest no forget the past..knew this would get hairy  what does 300 missing girls have to do with anything? SSC,is this really you? you seem to have no  memory. no SSC you blew this one with your nonsense,yes your hatred shows with every post about  our president, why would missing girls have to do with this conversation? I am worried about you SSC.seems your not on spot! now, so since your moderator.be cool you really need to control your anger, I have ben very cool!

I remember years ago Bush/and junior warned about treatment of our soldiers at Reed! why wasn't something done.many other places~

SSC wrote:

gypsy wrote:This is political,you have house Republicans who have not done their job for five years, since Obama became President, and yes I will sing his praises ,under the duress he has experienced, he has done very well he has had to fix all that was broken with the Bush era, Republicans have cut the Veterans benefits..it is sad when a party hates the president so bad they will not work with him on anything.if he said Breathe, Republicans would hold their breath! LOL Everything is Political when it involves War,country Jobs,and our soldiers being treated right.

You just don't get it, my post is not about the politics of Obama or Bush or anyone else it is about our Veterans being left to die by a broken system. Stop with the cheerleading for Obama and the blame game, Obama is no better than Bush if this was going on during his time in office, don't you understand this, stop making excuses for Obama and diverting the blame. he better put his big boy drawers on and get this fixed even if he has to fire the whole Veterans oversight committee they obviously are not doing their job.

yes I get it.you don't.the republicans blocked all help to VA but like wars.Our President in another post has his big Drawers on   

wow said I wasn't going to reply but you must have stayed up all night posting one after another..LMAO..being moderator has nothing to do with my position on politics so suck it up buttercup, and hatred oh hell yes but in your mind it is because he is black a typical Democratic crutch these days everything is racial any more, oh poor pity anyone who isn't white, now last night it was so crucial legislators worked into the night to try and make the owner of the Washington Redskins change the team name one that has stood since 1933 because it was racial, WOW super important, and please tell me you have no clue of the 300 girls kidnapped that Obama just sent troops to Chad to aid in search or the troops and ships in the Ukraine awaiting the countries vote for new leadership, while Russia is killing Ukraine soldiers at a check point. Why are we in both places Gypsy please explain to me why this is our business !!!!

I never said it was our business.. it wasn't our business to go into Iraq,and Afghan either. Changing names is ridiculous, that has been a teams name for years.  yes I was up late and posted more I thought of other things to say after I closed the posts. nothing was accomplished with those wars . killing our troops and lots of innocent people.

Then you disagree with YOUR Democratic president for sending troops ?I never mentioned Iraq or Afghanistan so they are not a part of this discussion please don't try to interject or change the subject, stick to the point of discussion Chad and Ukraine.

Yes I disagree with the wars, and now they are coming home.thanks to our President for ending both wars. and why not interject you seem to be doing this also what does the redskins have to do with anything. one question and I will end my part of this discussion,Why do you hate Obama if it isn't because he is Black?  I think we should stay out of ukraine. Because America is a caring Nation and people in other countries look up to our help.and wow talk about changing the subject!