{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20141029190816/http://sinema.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=03607C24-0AE2-49D9-B39F-EE0AF7B4F318", "Sinema Questions VAs Definition of Timely Access to Care", "2014-10-29", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "AZ", "Kyrsten Sinema", "S001191", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Phoenix, AZ \u2013Today Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald urging the VA to clarify its definition of timely access to medical care. (Please find the full letter text attached.)\n\u201cVA\u2019s wait-time goals should drive delivery of the best medical care for veterans,\u201d said Sinema. \u201cI strongly encourage the VA to clarify its definition of timely access and direct VA health providers to provide care within specific date ranges, ensuring veterans receive high-quality care within a timely, clinically determined window.\u201d\nThe Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 defines the Veterans Health Administration\u2019s (VHA) wait-time goals as being \u201cnot more than 30 days from the date on which a veteran requests an appointment for hospital care or medical services from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\u201d The law allows VA to establish an alternative standard, and in an October 3rd report to Congress, the VA provided new language deeming timely an appointment scheduled 30 days after the appointment is deemed clinically appropriate by a VA health care provider. As this new language could lead to delays in access to care, Sinema is now requesting the VA clarify its definition of timeliness so veterans receive care within a time frame deemed clinically appropriate.\n###\nDefinition of Wait Time Goals Letter", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141029190816/http://sinema.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=03607C24-0AE2-49D9-B39F-EE0AF7B4F318"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7203288841992617, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}