VA medical centers need senior leadership in place, says Womack

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers should have qualified, reliable, and dependable leadership in place at the top level to ensure critical patient care is delivered to United States military veterans rather than being detailed to different positions throughout the department, according to U.S. Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR). 

“This bill brings necessary accountability to workforce recruitment,” Rep. Womack said on Jan. 31. “Just as a battalion commander leads a unit, the VA needs leadership in place to ensure health services are being properly delivered to those who’ve worn America’s uniform.”

Toward that goal, the congressman on Tuesday sponsored the Veterans Affairs Medical Center Absence and Notification Timeline (VACANT) Act, H.R. 693, which would require the VA Secretary to ensure a plan is in place to fill vacant medical center director positions within 180 days of detailing, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmaker’s office. 

H.R. 693 is the companion bill to the same-named S. 55, sponsored on Jan. 24 by U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), and also would require that the VA notify the House and Senate Veterans Affairs’ Committees within 90 days of a medical center director vacancy due to VA internal detail, and appoint an acting director no less than 120 days after detailing a medical center director, the summary says.

“Our veterans deserve the highest standard of care,” said Rep. Womack. “Timely hiring and proper staffing of high-quality professionals should be the standard — not the goal.”