{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://gwenmoore.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=1331", "Moore Announces 2015 Service Academy Nominees", "2015-12-04", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "WI", "Gwen Moore", "M001160", "gwenmoore.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Mike Lowe\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tMILWAUKEE (WITI)  Americans are observing Memorial Day against the backdrop of a growing scandal over long wait times and secret records at Veterans Affairs medical facilities. But how will the backlogs in other states affect Wisconsins ability to serve its own veterans? Its a question being asked by every member of the Wisconsin Congressional delegation.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe VA facility in Milwaukee is a sort of home away from home for Marine Corps veteran Kenneth Mueller.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tIn my opinion, they dont deny any veteran any coverage, Mueller said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tMueller visits the VA facility in Milwaukee every week  either to see friends or receive care himself. He wears his pride in the VA  but he, like many veterans is disturbed by the backlog of cases that have kept military veterans waiting without proper medical care.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tI think its depressing. This VA scandal is not good  so maybe theres some VAs that are not quite up to par, Mueller said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tIts a problem Milwaukee Congresswoman Gwen Moore is working to resolve.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tWere very, very concerned about the backlog of cases that the VA has, Moore said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tMoore says backlogs are bad enough, but the allegations that some VA hospitals manipulated waiting lists to hide delays are a downright disgrace.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThere was also an incentive to hide older cases if you hadnt gotten them services, so Im very curious about routing out that particular problem, Moore said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThey shouldnt be doing that. They shouldnt be capitalizing on our health, Mueller said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe worst problems are in Arizona, but in Wisconsin, the VA does well processing cases.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tIve had no problems at this VA. I can personally say that, Mueller said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tIn fact, last May, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki visited the VA facility in Milwaukee  highlighting its move to digitized medical records  allowing it to have a much smaller backlog.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tWe realized that we had to go through a process of improving, Shinseki said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tNow there is concern that the Wisconsin system could be jeopardized by the problems in other states  as the VA moves out-of-state cases to Milwaukees efficient facility.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tI am fearful that VA is simply one national mission away from complete collapse and utter failure, Chairman Miller said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tA letter of concern to Secretary Shinseki, signed by every member of the Wisconsin delegation says claims doubled in the last year, now that backlogged cases from other states are being sent to Milwaukee.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe representative say the VAs strategy is negatively impacting the claims of Wisconsin veterans.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tTry to make sure that we dont end up shorting the services of Wisconsin veterans by trying to manage some of the cases from around the country, Moore said.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tWithout addressing the scandal directly, President Obama on Monday, May 26th said: the country needs to do more to ensure veterans get the healthcare they need.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tTo view this article online, please click here.", 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": ["http://gwenmoore.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=1331"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.700273947790265, "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"}