{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://titus.house.gov//press-releases/titus-takano-statement-on-the-inclusion-of-the-underserved-veterans-access-to-health", "Titus, Takano Statement on the Inclusion of the Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act in VA Reform Package", "2014-07-28", "2014", "2014-07", "Democrat", "House", "NV", "Dina Titus", "T000468", "titus.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "July 28, 2014 \u00a0\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today Representatives Dina Titus (NV-01), Ranking Member of the House Veterans Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, and Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41), Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, released the following statement on the inclusion of their bill, H.R. 4942, the Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act introduced in June of this year, in the omnibus package to reform the Veterans Affairs Department.\u00a0\nThe Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act will increase veterans\u2019 access to timely care by adding more medical residency positions at VA hospitals in communities like Las Vegas and San Bernardino County which are facing a significant physician shortage. A recent internal audit of scheduling practices at VA health facilities found that a lack of physicians within the VA medical system is the leading factor in preventing veterans\u2019 timely access to care. This is also a significant problem for private care facilities across the country. According to the American Medical Association, the United States will face a shortage of 62,900 physicians in 2015 and 130,000 by 2025. The Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act will help reverse this trend and reduce unacceptable wait times for veterans by strengthening investment in physician training in communities with the greatest doctor shortages. Doctors have been found to stay in the communities where they do their residency.\n\u201cThe Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act is a central component of the agreement\u2019s efforts to address the unacceptable wait times within the VA system,\u201d said Titus. \u201cBy creating more residency positions at VA medical facilities in underserved areas, such as Southern Nevada, the Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act will increase veterans\u2019 access to timely care and take a significant step toward addressing the long-term, nationwide physician shortage. I urge Congress to take swift action to advance this critical legislation, as well as the entire bipartisan package introduced today, so we can immediately begin to restore our veterans\u2019 trust in the VA system.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased that the deal struck by the VA Conference Committee includes language that will address the shortage of physicians at our VA facilities,\u201d said Takano. \u201cWe know that this shortage has played a large part in the long wait times our veterans are forced to endure and this provision, based on a stand-alone piece of legislation in the House with my colleagues Rep. Dina Titus and Rep. Beto O\u2019Rourke, will increase access and address one of the long term issues facing our veterans.\u201d", 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://titus.house.gov//press-releases/titus-takano-statement-on-the-inclusion-of-the-underserved-veterans-access-to-health"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7158499211072922, "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"}