VA&R director testifies on pending and draft legislation, VA workforce reduction and privatizing VA care.
American Legion Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Director Cole Lyle testified March 11 before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs regarding pending and draft legislation. In his testimony, Lyle answered questions from committee members regarding the Veterans’ Access Act, reduction in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) workforce and privatizing VA.
“It is vital to acknowledge that this hearing comes at a time of uncertainty and widespread change,” Lyle stated. “I want to be clear ... The American Legion has never shied away from the responsibility of being a voice for the veterans, and we will not start now. To veterans listening, the Legion exists for you. The VA exists for you. And we will continue to advocate for an effective VA on your behalf.
A leaked VA memo shared the cutting of more than 80,000 VA jobs by end of Fiscal Year 2025. Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked about the Legion’s discussion with VA Secretary Doug Collins on this.
“The American Legion has spoken with Secretary Doug Collins about the need for more transparency and methodology of these changes and plans to mitigate potential impacts,” Lyle said, adding that that the Legion has been in contact with the secretary’s office about the department-wide personnel review by May 9 about the cuts. “We absolutely want to have the Legionnaires’ voices heard in that process to ensure that there are no cuts in mission critical capabilities for health care or benefits at the VA.”
Lyle shared that The American Legion has released a survey for veterans and their family members to take about the impact of recent or future government actions. Take the impact survey here . “We believe the voice of our membership can provide crucial feedback to ensure no veteran goes without the care they need when they need it,” Lyle said.
Blumenthal added that, “It is your voices and faces that will make a difference. At the end of the day, it’s our veterans who have to save VA health care, VA benefits, the PACT Act.”
One of the 15 pieces of pending and draft legislation that The American Legion submitted testimony on was Veterans’ Access Act, which is to improve the provision of care services under the Veterans Community Care Program. Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., thanked The American Legion for its support of the legislation.
“I appreciate your acknowledgement that failure to codify the existing community care standards, as a minimum access standard leaves them vulnerable to changes that make it more difficult for veterans to understand their rights under the MISSION Act,” Moran said.
Under the MISSION Act, the Veterans Health Administration was directed to increase access to community providers when it could not provide care in a reasonable time and/or distance, or if access to an outside provider was in the best medical interest of the veteran. Moran asked Lyle to elaborate how codifying the access standards benefits veterans and makes it easier for VA staff to understand and deliver that care in the community.
“We’ve seen evidence since the MISSION Act passed because it was regulatory and not codified in statute at the VISN and local VAMC level. There is a wide variety of education efforts at those levels to inform veterans of their options,” Lyle said. “Even if they are informed, oftentimes veterans can get denied the referral or shortened on the authorization approved time for community care. And it’s vital to codify these access standards so that the veteran’s decision with their provider is the No. 1 priority and the veteran remains the center of what VA does.”
Lyle reiterated another reason why the Legion supports the Veterans’ Access Act when Blumenthal asked about being in favor of privatizing the VA.
“Community care is VA care. VA pays for it. VA is supposed to coordinate it. It is a vital tool the VA can use to ensure we don’t have another waitlist scandal like we did in 2014 in Phoenix,” Lyle said. “There are certainly improvements to be made, particularly in scheduling. We hear from veterans that they like the care that they receive at VA. They like the care they receive in the community. Oftentimes, they are frustrated by the referral and scheduling process. That’s another reason The American Legion has supported the Veterans’ Access Act because it seeks to improve that capability of the care.”
Read The American Legion’s submitted testimony here.
- Legislative