The House Veterans Affairs Committee May 8 passed a bill that would pave the way for a wholesale privatization of the VA.
H.R. 5476 passed the House VA Committee by a 20-2 margin, with Ranking Member Tim Walz and Vice Ranking Member Mark Takano voting against the measure. It will now go to the House Rules Committee and on to the House Floor for consideration.
AFGE opposes the bill because it would:
AFGE sent a letter to the committee prior to the markup voicing our opposition. We submitted seven recommendations, including holding private providers to the same standards for patient care as VA’s in-house providers, but they were rejected. The committee, however, agreed to require the VA to be more transparent about the number of unfilled positions.
“It is imperative that we not starve the VA for resources and kowtow to the Koch Brothers scheme to dismantle the crown jewel of the American health care system,” AFGE said in the May 7 letter.
The House of Representatives on May 11 and 12 passed two important bills that would provide workplace rights and benefits to two groups of federal workers: federal firefighters and TSOs.
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AFGE congratulates Susan Grundmann on her confirmation by the Senate as a member of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA).
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AFGE Local 781 is calling for an investigation into cronyism, bullying, racism, and toxic work environment at the Edward Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital outside Chicago.
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