Ernst Calls on VA Secretary McDonald to Resign Immediately

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate, released the following statement calling for the resignation of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald:

“Secretary McDonald’s dishonorable remarks yesterday make clear that he fails to take seriously the need for timely and quality care for our veterans. He blatantly dismissed the heart ache and pain that our veterans face while awaiting basic care, and illustrated his compete disregard for the incredibly serious issues facing the VA.

“It’s no secret that there is deep corruption within the VA system, leading to more failure and abuse. Secretary McDonald is at the helm, and instead of taking charge to clear out bad actors, he has stood idly by. Any government agency or organization takes on the attitude of their leadership, and Secretary McDonald has been too willing to look the other way. We simply cannot allow the misconduct and poor care to continue without repercussions. That’s why today, I am calling for Secretary McDonald’s resignation immediately.

“As I have stated, too many veterans have died while waiting to receive assistance from the VA, yet the very person our men and women are counting on, the person who is tasked with fixing the serious wait times, is making fun of the problem.

“Our veterans deserve better than a completely incompetent VA. Our men and women have selflessly sacrificed in defense of our freedoms and deserve nothing less than timely and quality care.”

Click here to read Senator Ernst’s statement on Secretary McDonald’s comparison to veterans’ wait times at the VA to lines at Disneyland.

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