“House lawmakers urged Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie on Wednesday to provide daily briefings about the agency’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.”
“In a letter Wednesday evening, Republicans and Democrats on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs told Wilkie that Congress needed updated information in order to oversee the VA’s efforts and help when necessary. As of Wednesday afternoon, the VA was reporting 46 positive cases across the country and preparing for a “surge,” Wilkie said during a White House briefing earlier Wednesday…”
“In addition to treating veterans, distributing their benefits and running veterans cemeteries, the VA has a fourth mission: to provide emergency medical care to all Americans in times of crises.”
“A group of a dozen senators wrote to the VA last week, questioning whether the agency was prepared to take on its mission to act as a last line of defense for the American medical system. The response from VA officials, if there was one, had not been shared publicly as of Wednesday…” Read the full article here.
Source: Lawmakers push VA for better communication as coronavirus cases grow – By Nikki Wentling, March 18, 2020. Stars and Stripes.
