{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-signs-the-enhancing-veterans-care-act", "President Trump Signs the Enhancing Veterans Care Act", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "James Inhofe", "I000024", "www.inhofe.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Trump Signs the Enhancing Veterans Care Act\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 20, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tU.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and U.S. Sen. James Lankford praised the president for signing S.1266, the Enhancing Veterans Care Act today. Sen. Inhofe, Sen. Lankford and Rep. Mullin, authored this legislation to provide greater accountability and allow independent oversight at Veterans Affairs facilities.\r\nTwo years ago this week, a front page story in USA Today outlined problems in Oklahomas VA facilities. I immediately got to work, fighting to ensure that our VA facilities are held to the highest standards of care. I identified three key reforms I wanted to address: provide authority for VA directors to fire poorly performing employees, extend the Veterans Choice program and allow independent, third-party oversight at VA facilities, said Inhofe.\r\nToday, with the presidents signature, we have now enacted each of those reforms into law.\r\nAs a strong, outspoken advocate for our nations veterans, I appreciate President Trumps leadership as we work together to provide our veterans with the highest level of carethey deserve no less. Our reforms have already improved patient care for our veterans, but were not done yet. In the coming weeks, I will work with our VA directors in Oklahoma City and Muskogee to identify our next set of priorities to ensure that Oklahoma leads the nation in veterans care.\r\nUnfortunately, the VA hasnt always met the standard of healthcare that our veterans deserve. The Enhancing Veteran Care Act will help ensure our veterans receive quality care by giving senior officials at the VA regional level the tools to hold people accountable. Im glad the President has signed this bill into law to bring the VA in line with the expectations of our veterans and fellow Oklahomans, Lankford said.\r\n\r\nBackground:\r\n \r\nOn Nov. 30, 2015, VISN 19 sent two teams to investigate operations at the Muskogee VA center, one that looked at quality of care and the other that looked at management of the facility. Their visits resulted in the immediate shut down of intermediate surgeries at the Muskogee facility due to issues that were discovered. It also prompted the removal of the facilitys Chief of Staff on Feb. 9, who was temporarily reassigned until the completion of VAs review of VISN 19s report.\r\nOn Dec. 23, 2015, Inhofe contacted VISN 19 Network Director Ralph Gigliotti and requested his personal assistance in ensuring proper care is provided to the five veterans identified in the Dec. 23, 2015, USA Today article.\r\nIn January 2016, Inhofe requested that the VA IG visit Oklahoma VA facilities with a third party entity since past VA IG reports had not indicated any problems in Oklahomas VA facilities. This request was denied.\r\nOn Feb 1, 2016, Inhofe placed a hold on the Veterans Affairs Inspector General nominee until the VA agreed to send an outside entity to investigate Oklahomas VA facilities.\r\nOn Feb. 12, 2016, Inhofe and Lankford introduced S. 2554, the Veterans Affairs Accountability Act, which would give authority to the Secretary of the VA to remove or demote a VA employee based on performance or misconduct and allow independent, third party oversight at VA facilities.\r\nOn Feb. 23, 2017, Sen. Inhofe announced on the Senate floor that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has committed in writing to conduct investigations of Oklahomas VA hospitals in coordination with an outside entity, a condition made by Inhofe prior to allowing confirmation of the VA Inspector General nominee.\r\nOn June 23, 2017, President Trump signed S. 1094 the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act into law. This bill gives greater authority to VA directors to fire poorly performing employees. This legislation contained portions of S.2554, which Inhofe introduced the previous year.\r\nOn July 10, 2017 the VA IG released a report following an investigation of the Muskogee VA that was done in conjunction with a third party, the Joint Commission. The report provided over 20 recommendations to improve the facility and care provided, which Director Mark Morgan committed to implementing.\r\nOn August 14, 2017, President Trump signed S.114, to extend the Veterans Choice Program.\r\nOn November 2, 2017 the VA IG released a report following an investigation of the Oklahoma City VA that was done in conjunction with a third party, the Joint Commission. The report provided over 20 recommendations to improve the facility and care provided, which Director Wade Vlosich committed to implementing.", 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.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-signs-the-enhancing-veterans-care-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3114269822835922, "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"}