Mark Takano Speaks on VA Reform

With Democratic leadership in full effect in the House, the new U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee head, Democrat representative Mark Takano, headed to the sunshine state to discuss his view for the future of the committee. While there, he visited the VA Medical Center facilities in Orlando.

Reforming the VA is something that President Trump ran on when he embarked on his 2016 Presidential run, and it is an issue that Governor-elect Ron DeSantis also echoed in his own 2018 political campaign.

Concerning the reform he would like to see take place, Takano said that he wants to “guarantee veterans access to high-quality, time care and the benefits they deserve.”

In order to accomplish this, he “will work to develop a ‘VA 2030’ plan that equips VA with the tools needed to meet these challenges head-on, guaranteeing its success now and into the future. Our committee’s commitment to bipartisanship has helped protect VA whistleblowers and student veterans, expand earned benefits, and improve access to care. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to further reject ideological agendas, and continue placing our service to veterans above ourselves and fulfill our promise to our nation's veterans. Serving as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will be the honor of my lifetime, and I look forward to working closely with our veterans, veterans service organizations, and members on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers to serve and improve the lives of veterans across the country.”

Speaking on his time in Orlando visiting the VA Medical Center facilities, Takano said that he was "impressed with this state of the art facility and most importantly the medical services, programs, and treatments they offer for our veterans. Not only is the medical center fully staffed, it is also doing an impressive job at retaining employees. We must do more to ensure that throughout the VA Health Administration we work to fill the more than 40,000 vacancies and help deliver timely care for our veterans. I am pleased to see the center’s efforts to serve women, minority and LGBTQ veterans and the robust programs that could become examples to other VA medical centers across the country."

Also joining him on the visit was Democrat representative Darren Soto.