Latta shares vets’ experiences with VA

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following Tuesday’s veterans town hall meetings in Perrysburg, Findlay and Defiance, U.S. Representative Bob Latta (R-Ohio) on Friday sent a letter to House Veteran’s Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Florida) and Ranking Member Michael Michaud (D-Maine), sharing the issues northwest Ohio veterans have had when navigating the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“After hearing from Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District veterans and reading the OIG preliminary report, it is evident that the issues within the VA are systemic,” said Latta. “The VA’s actions are horrific and those responsible must be held accountable.

“While Secretary Shinseki’s resignation is a good first step, it will not solve the problems that clearly permeate the VA,” Latta added. “As a nation, we owe our veterans the highest quality care, and it is incumbent on the President, as this is his department, to take responsibility for the actions that have occurred and hold those accountable.

Latta also noted that “the care of our veterans is neither partisan nor political. Both Republicans and Democrats have attempted to get answers from the VA through numerous Congressional hearings, at which the Department has not been forthright and at times even misleading in its answers. Therefore, while we will continue to conduct rigorous oversight over the VA, it must also be truthful about the conditions at the Department, so we can implement needed reforms to eliminate this unacceptable culture of mistruths and complacency.”

Latta also encouraged veterans to continue to contact him regarding issues with the VA. “What happened is absolutely unacceptable, and we will get to the bottom of this,” he said.

A copy of Latta’s letter to Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Michaud can be found here. A copy of the VA OIG report can be found here.