US Senate passes Veteran’s Administration bill by Oklahomans

US Senate passes Veteran’s Administration bill by Oklahomans
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A bill by Republican Sens. James Lankford and Jim Inhofe intended to address the care of military veterans in Veteran’s Administration hospitals has passed the U.S. Senate.
The bill passed Thursday would allow the Secretary of the VA to remove or demote a VA employee based on performance or misconduct. It was introduced by Lankford and Inhofe in February following reports of problems in VA hospitals in Oklahoma.
Earlier this month, a report by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Inspector General said problems in the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System included a lack of stable, permanent leadership and that basic elements of patient safety programs were not consistently completed, although it noted improvements were being made.
Republican U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House.