{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.manchin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/manchin-heller-introduce-legislation-following-shocking-report-that-va-buried-medical-mistakes", "MANCHIN, HELLER INTRODUCE LEGISLATION FOLLOWING SHOCKING REPORT THAT VA BURIED MEDICAL MISTAKES", "2017-11-13", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "WV", "Joe Manchin", "M001183", "www.manchin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 13, 2017\n\t\t\t MANCHIN, HELLER INTRODUCE LEGISLATION FOLLOWING SHOCKING REPORT THAT VA BURIED MEDICAL MISTAKES \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\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 Manchin-Heller Bill Demands Transparency, Accountability from the VA\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Dean Heller (R-NV) introduced bipartisan legislation that stops the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from hiding medical mistakes made by providers in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).\u00a0The VA Provider Accountability Act arrives after a\u00a0USA Today investigation recently revealed the VA has for years repeatedly buried and concealed poor care and mistakes made by its medical workers.\r\nThe Manchin-Heller bill would require the VA to report major adverse actions to the National Practitioner Data Bank and state licensing boards. It will also prohibit the VA from signing settlements with fired or dismissed VA employees that allow the VA to conceal serious medical errors or purge negative records from personnel files. \u201cThe vast majority of VA healthcare providers are well-trained, caring, patriots who work hard to take care of our nation\u2019s veterans. But, just like in any healthcare system, there are bad apples,\u201d Senator Manchin said, a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee. \u201cThis commonsense piece of legislation ensures that incidences of malpractice do not go unreported to state licensing boards and the National Practitioner Data Bank. It also stops those who commit malpractice from receiving a settlement so they will quietly resign and become a provider outside of the VA.\u00a0 By imposing these oversight measures on the Department of Veterans Affairs, we are ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all Americans.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe investigation\u2019s findings are downright shameful,\u00a0and we need action immediately to ensure that the VA does not hide medical mistakes or inadequate care,\u201d Senator\u00a0Heller said. \u201cThat\u2019s why Senator Manchin and I introduced legislation that demands transparency and accountability from the VA and puts a stop to concealing serious medical errors through settlements with fired or dismissed VA employees. It is our responsibility to stand up for those who put their lives on the line for this country and provide them with the world class medical care they expect and deserve. The VA lists integrity as its first core value,\u00a0and VA employees make the promise to act with high moral principle and adhere to the highest professional standards. Our legislation will make sure of it by holding the VA\u2019s feet to the fire so that the veterans the agency exists to serve have trust in their caretakers.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###\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\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious 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.manchin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/manchin-heller-introduce-legislation-following-shocking-report-that-va-buried-medical-mistakes"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5958151780068874, "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"}