WASHINGTON — The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is saluting President Trump for signing into law today the VFW-championed Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017.
“Accountability must be a two-way street, and today’s signing now provides VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin the authority to manage his people in a manner expected of all senior executives, public or private,” said VFW National Commander Brian Duffy, who attended the White House signing ceremony along with VFW Adjutant General Bob Wallace and others. “Weeding out the nonperformers and those whose personal conduct brings doubt and dishonor upon thousands of dedicated employees is essential to restoring the full faith of veterans in their VA,” he said.
The VFW also salutes bill sponsor Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and VA Committee Chairmen Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Rep. Dr. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), and their respective ranking members, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), for their work to pass a bipartisan, bicameral, and comprehensive accountability bill that also provides better protections to whistleblowers.
“Three years ago, a nationwide crisis in access to care and confidence engulfed the entire VA,” said Duffy. “Today’s signing will not instantly fix an employee culture of indifference to appointed leadership that took years — if not decades — to fester, but it does send a very loud and unmistakable signal to all employees that maintaining the status quo no longer works for those who have borne the battle,” he said. “Let the healing begin.”