WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies – applauded the Senate’s unanimous passage of legislation Sen. Moran helped develop to make certain veterans can continue to access care in the community through the Veterans Choice Program. The legislation passed the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 414-0.

“I am pleased the Senate unanimously supported critical legislation to appropriate the funds necessary for the Veterans Choice Program to continue offering veterans access to healthcare closer to home,” said Sen. Moran. “Since Congress created this important program in 2014, I have worked to make certain our veterans in Kansas and across the country benefit from the access to quality and timely healthcare the Choice network provides. Veterans deserve the best our nation has to offer, and this is a proven program that veterans like and need. I urge the president to quickly sign this bill into law so our nation’s heroes can continue to receive increased access to healthcare in their communities.”

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; met with VA Sect. nominee Dr. David Shulkin.

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

March 8, 2017: Senator 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.

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