Rep. Charles W. Boustany (R-LA) and Sen. Davis Vitter (R-LA) were happy to hear that Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Sloan Gibson will travel to Louisiana this week to tour VA clinics in Lafayette and New Orleans.
“Mounting problems within the VA in Louisiana, including missed payments threatening the credit ratings of veterans and a casework backlog hindering access to care, are too large for VA officials in Washington to ignore,” Boustany said. “I am confident Deputy Secretary Gibson will learn firsthand there are significant reforms needed to reverse the apathy and disorganization exhibited by his agency in our state. I look forward to working with him to achieve the world-class care we know our veterans deserve.”
The two Louisiana legislators co-authored a letter to McDonald two weeks ago, requesting that he visit their state to tour facilities and witness firsthand the problems the VA is currently experiencing.
“From delayed clinics to missed payments, veterans in Louisiana have lost confidence in the VA,” Vitter said. “We absolutely owe it to our veterans to provide them with the best and most accessible care possible, and Deputy Secretary Gibson’s visit will be an important first step to reform this broken system.”