Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) that would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit detailed reports on patient safety and quality of care at VA Medical Centers on Nov. 16 received unanimous approval from the U.S. House of Representatives with a 394-0 vote. The bill now heads to the president’s desk for his signature to make it law.
The Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act of 2019, S. 3147, which Sen. Capito cosponsored in December 2019 with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), would ensure that Congress, U.S. military veterans and their families are fully informed on VA policies and procedures in place nationally, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Capito’s office.
The U.S. Senate passed the bill last year shortly after it was introduced. U.S. Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) and David McKinley (R-WV) on Jan. 15 introduced the same-named H.R. 5616.
The bill resulted from veteran deaths in 2018 at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia. In July, a former VA nursing assistant pleaded guilty to murdering seven veterans at the center by giving them lethal doses of insulin and attempting to murder an eighth, ending a two-year-old case.
Sen. Capito’s bill requires that the VA also must report on the events involving those deaths and the actions the VA has taken to prevent any similar recurrence, according to the congressional record bill summary.
“The horrifying murders at the Clarksburg VAMC were a gruesome wakeup call underscoring the need for a more thorough look at security systems and procedures across the VAMC system,” Sen. Capito said on Tuesday. “This bill is a step forward to help ensure our veterans are protected and safely cared for while in VA hands.”