{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=355147", "Crapo Supports Final Veterans Care Bill", "2014-08-01", "2014", "2014-08", "Republican", "House", "ID", "Michael Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "August 01, 2014\n\t\t\t Crapo Supports Final Veterans Care Bill \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Says legislation beneficial to rural Idahoans \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.-Idaho Senator Mike Crapo supported compromise legislation to end lengthy wait times for veterans seeking medical care and increase accountability within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\u00a0 By an overwhelming bipartisan majority, the United States Senate voted 91-3 to adopt the Senate-House conference report on the Veteran's Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014.\r\nNotably to Idaho, the legislation, which Crapo co-sponsored, is particularly beneficial to those living in rural communities.\u00a0 It would allow veterans who reside more than 40 miles away from a VA facility to seek health services outside of the system.\r\n\"Given the sacrifices our military men and women make, Congress must provide the necessary resources to our service personnel and their families,\" said Crapo.\u00a0 \"Although we are in a time of fiscal crisis with our national debt exceeding $17 trillion, we must do all that we can to identify the most holistic and responsible ways to provide the resources and benefits our military community needs and deserves.\r\n\"This legislation, though more work remains, takes a positive step in addressing the deep-seated problems plaguing the VA.\"\r\nThe Veteran's Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 makes the following improvements within the VA:\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Allows veterans to seek private treatment if faced with long wait times at VA facilities;\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Expands the VA secretary's ability to terminate or demote employees for poor performance;\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Allows for the hiring of additional doctors and nurses;\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Establishes two independent commissions to review and monitor veterans' access to care and VA construction projects;\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Extends counseling and treatment to service members who suffered sexual trauma while serving on inactive duty training;\r\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Requires VA to report on prevalence of domestic violence in the veteran population.\r\nThe bill now heads to the President's desk where it awaits signature before becoming law.\r\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article", 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://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=355147"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8944668807089329, "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"}