WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today joined Fox News to discuss the VFW Annual Convention in Kansas City, the recently signed VA MISSION Act and yesterday’s confirmation of Robert Wilkie to be secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Click Here to Watch the Full Interview

Excerpts from Sen. Moran’s interview:

Sen. Moran (2:36): “We overwhelmingly voted in the Senate to confirm Mr. Wilkie last evening and that’s a step in the right direction of having someone in charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs. But, it will take a lot of work having a new secretary, whoever he or she is. [A new secretary alone] doesn’t solve the problems of the VA, it’s a constant effort to change the culture, the bureaucracy and the nature [of the VA].”

Sen. Moran (3:57): “The Choice Act, which is what was passed by Congress two or three years ago, it was implemented in a way that caused veterans to be discouraged. They decided it may not be worth going through the hassle of trying to get that care in the community. If we go through that again with the MISSION Act, with the new Choice program, I’m really worried that veterans once again will be dissatisfied, discouraged and feel like they didn’t get what they were entitled to. We really do need the new secretary to the hit the ground running.”

Sen. Moran (4:31): “The president campaigned for choice, for care in the community. We need the secretary now to follow through quickly, a difficult task, but one that we cannot afford to fail. Our veterans deserve it.”
 

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