US Senator Rob Portman Touts Senate VA Bill

U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio says a senate VA reform bill passed late Wednesday will make the cabinet agency more accountable. Portman called internal audit findings at the VA outrageous. It showed the agency manipulated medical appointment times causing long wait times for veterans. "So it's clear the entire performance management system has to be changed and I look forward to reading the results of the Inspector General report also. They're looking at 42 different VA facilities around the country," says Portman. The senate legislation passed with only three dissenting votes. It now goes to the house. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the senate bill could cost the federal government an additional 50 billion dollars per year. Portman says new senate passed bill would make the Veterans Administration improve service. "It also adds some accountability to the management of the VA, not as much as I'd like but it gives significant accountability. That's one thing that I've heard certainly from the folks who are accessing the VA but also from some of the people in the VA itself," says Portman. Portman met with Central Ohio veterans last week after an internal audit showed medical appointments were manipulated.