VA Secretary Shulkin responds to funding agreement to aid veterans programs

U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin said in a recent release he applauds proposed legislation to increase funding for programs that will increase the access that veterans have to health care as well as the need to increase its workforce.

"On behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the nation’s veterans, I want to commend the leadership of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees on their agreement on legislation that will greatly benefit veterans," Shulkin said in the release.

Shulkin said that the Veterans Choice program required funding to bring up its balance earlier than had been anticipated but that the proper changes came about in a timely fashion.

"In a truly bipartisan way, they have put together legislation that provides $2.1 billion to avoid a disruption in the Veterans Choice program and strengthens VA’s internal capacity by authorizing 28 major medical leases," Shulkin wrote. "The committees included measures that will improve VA’s most valuable asset – its employees. The legislation will make it easier to hire the most sought after medical specialists, as well as establish innovative human resources programs to strengthen workforce management."