Washington, D.C.—Rep. Mike Bost, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, testified today before the Subcommittee on Health urging consideration of his VA Health Center Management Stability and Improvement Act (H.R. 3956).  Bost introduced the bipartisan legislation to require the agency to develop a plan that fills nearly three-dozen vacancies of permanent directors at VA medical centers across the country, including the John Cochran Medical Center in St. Louis.

“I am very concerned about the lack of stability in leadership at the St. Louis VA and its impact on the treatment provided to our veterans,” said Rep. Bost.  “After 33 months of cycling through temporary directors, the St. Louis facility is still without a permanent director to oversee long-term reforms.  Sadly, this problem extends to dozens of VA medical centers across the country.  My legislation would help put a stop to this revolving door so that we can get to work on implementing the forward-thinking vision that our heroes deserve.”

Over the past three years, the St. Louis VA has been managed by more than seven different acting directors.  The short-term uncertainty has impacted the ability of the system management to engage in long-term planning and other functions necessary to improve service delivery to veterans.

To read Rep. Bost’s entire testimony before the VA Committee, click here.

To watch Rep. Bost’s testimony, click here.