News Releases

Sen. Moran Attends Signing Ceremony for VA MISSION Act

Jun 06 2018

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies – today attended the S.2372, The John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks, or VA MISSION Act, of 2018 signing ceremony in the White House Rose Garden. The VA MISSION Act improves, expands and modernizes the VA Choice program and includes several provisions introduced by Sen. Moran and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Following signage, Sen. Moran released the following statement:

“I am proud the VA MISSION Act, which will empower our veterans and dramatically improve and modernize their healthcare services, is now signed into law. This legislation includes numerous provisions Sen. McCain and I worked on together to abolish arbitrary Veterans’ Choice Program guidelines, increase telemedicine services, support rural hospitals, allow veterans to utilize walk-in care clinics and provide strategic planning to improve the VA’s integrated healthcare system. I am grateful for the president’s support of this bipartisan legislation and for his work to help get it across the finish line. I look forward to the relief the VA MISSION Act will provide for veterans in Kansas and across the nation.”

Items to note:

Timeline of Sen. Moran’s work on the Veterans Choice Program:  

-2014-

June 3, 2014: Sen. Moran joined Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to introduce the Veterans Choice Act.

June 11, 2014: The Senate passed Sen. Moran’s legislation to establish the Veterans Choice Program. 

August 7, 2014: The Veterans Choice Program was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

December 15, 2014: Sen. Moran introduced legislation to improve the Veteran Choice Program’s 40-mile eligibility rule.

-2015-

January 22, 2015: Sen. Moran spoke on the Senate floor regarding his legislation to improve the Choice Program’s 40-mile rule.

February 26, 2015: Sen. Moran questioned VA Secretary McDonald about flawed implementation of Choice Program.

May 22, 2015: Senate unanimously passed Sen. Moran’s legislation to improve 40-mile Choice Act eligibility criteria.

July 23, 2015: Sen. Moran expressed concern with VA budget shortfall in Community Care accounts.

December 2, 2015: Sen. Moran urged VA Deputy Secretary Gibson to improve Choice Act implementation. 

-2016-

March 7, 2016: Sen. Moran joined Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) to introduce the Veterans Choice Improvement Act.

-2017-

January 20, 2017: Sen. Moran urged President Donald Trump to work with Congress to improve the Veterans Choice Program

January 24, 2017: Sen. Moran was selected as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.

February 1, 2017: Sen. Moran pressed VA Secretary nominee Shulkin on Choice Program eligibility criteria.

March 8, 2017: Sen. Moran joined Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to introduce legislation to improve and extend the Veterans Choice Program.

April 3, 2017: The Senate passed legislation to preserve the Veterans Choice Program.

April 19, 2017: The Veterans Choice Improvement Act was signed into law. Sen. Moran and Sen. McCain authored an op-ed on the Veterans Choice Program, “A great day for veterans and Veterans Choice.”

June 7, 2017: Sen. Moran questioned Secretary Shulkin on the Choice Program at Veterans Affairs Committee hearing.

June 21, 2017: Sen. Moran convened hearing with Secretary Shulkin and questioned Choice budget shortfall and VA’s recent changes to Choice Program; sent letter to Secretary Shulkin regarding financial mismanagement at the VA.

July 27, 2017: Sen. Moran spoke on Senate floor urging colleagues to pass legislation to fund the Veterans Choice Program and fix the budget shortfall.

August 2, 2017: Sen. Moran voted for additional funding to maintain the Veterans Choice Program.

October 24, 2017: Sen. Moran discussed the importance of the Veterans Choice Program with President Trump during a Senate policy meeting.

December 4, 2017: Sen. Moran and Sen. McCain introduced legislation to reform the VA into a 21st century healthcare system, integrating VA services and VA community care programs to increase veterans’ access to timely, quality care.

December 15, 2017: Sen. Moran and Sen. McCain authored the op-ed, “Health Care for Veterans Needs Another Big Fix,” explaining the fundamental problems with the VA they sought to fix with their legislation.   

-2018-

January 17, 2018: Sen. Moran questioned Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin about the implementation of access standards for veterans to be eligible for community care under proposed Choice legislation.

April 3, 2018: Sen. Moran authored an op-ed, “Status Quo in VA Culture Shouldn’t Put Bureaucracy Ahead of Vets,” highlighting the need for strong leadership at the VA to implement critical reforms to VA healthcare and VA community care programs.

May 3, 2018: Sen. Moran worked to strengthen VA reform legislation, increasing Congressional oversight and modernizing the VA to provide the best possible care for veterans.

May 17, 2018: Sen. Moran honored Sen. McCain on the Senate floor and advocated for passage of legislation in his name to reform the VA.

May 22, 2018: Sen. Moran took to the Senate floor to share with his colleagues his top reasons to vote in favor of the VA MISSION Act.

May 23, 2018: Sen. Moran voted in favor of the VA MISSION Act on the Senate floor.

June 6, 2018: Sen. Moran attended the VA MISSION Act signing ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.
 

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