Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3147, the Improving Safety and Security for Veterans Act of 2019.

The bill is indeed the companion to H.R. 5616, which I introduced in January of this year following the death of seven veterans at our Clarksburg VA Medical Center.

A former nursing assistant at the hospital has now pled guilty to murdering these veterans by intentionally and inappropriately injecting them with insulin. Her actions are beyond the pale. Congress must do everything it can to ensure that this never happens again.

This bill was just the first step toward that goal. It will, indeed, as you heard the chairman say, provide transparency and accountability at our VA medical facilities by requiring the VA to submit to Congress detailed reports on patient safety and quality of care at those hospitals.

It will also ensure that the public is well-informed as to what occurred in Clarksburg. The public was kept in the dark for far too long during the course of this investigation.

Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and they deserve the best possible care and should feel safe when they come to one of our facilities.

Congress now has the opportunity to restore the public's confidence in our Veterans Affairs system and ensure that our veterans are receiving the care they deserve.

I join with the chairman, Mr. Speaker, in saying that I urge all of our colleagues to join unanimously in supporting this bill.

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