Welcome to the
first edition of the McCain Update. This monthly e-newsletter will help keep you
informed of my work on the important issues facing our state and nation, as well
as my activities around Arizona. Whether it’s fighting against Obamacare,
supporting our military and veterans or working for economic growth and job
creation in Arizona, this is the place for the latest news updates. As always, I
appreciate your thoughts and feedback – I look forward to hearing from
you!
--John
McCain
Phoenix VA Health Care
System
My constant battle to improve care and reduce wait
times for our veterans took a new and unfortunate turn with the latest reports of gross
mismanagement and neglect in the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS). These
allegations are as outrageous as they are heartbreaking. According to reports, PVAHCS
officials fraudulently misused the Electronic Waiting List (EWL) system employed
by all VA Health Centers and kept a non-official list outside of standard VA
procedures. It is unconscionable that officials at the Phoenix VA would
allegedly allow a level of systemic failure that resulted in delays linked to
the deaths of up to 40 veterans who were awaiting medical care, and would then
tamper with documents to cover it up. |
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Senator Flake and I held
a meeting with Sharon Helman, director of the Phoenix VA Health Care System,
shortly after the allegations surfaced; she denied any knowledge of these claims
based on their own investigation thus far. We need a thorough, complete and
impartial investigation – one that can be brought directly to our veterans
community in Arizona who can decide whether it’s credible or not. It’s obvious
that PVAHCS has lost confidence with the veterans it was established to serve,
and we must do everything in our power to restore it.
Last week, I sent a letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki
demanding answers to help get to the bottom of this mess. In addition, Senator
Flake and I requested that the Senate Committee on
Veterans’ Affairs investigate and hold a hearing to examine this matter. The
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman responded, committing to hold a hearing on the issue
following the completion of the VA Office of Inspector General's
investigation.
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| The latest allegations
against PVAHCS appear to follow broader trends that my office has observed
regarding the VA’s increasing failure to provide quality health care to our
veterans. Last year, when allegations of delayed care caused by a backlog in
disability claims at the Phoenix Regional Office were first raised, I wrote to
Secretary Shinseki several times to express my dismay and to seek more
information regarding these problems. Despite the delayed feedback to my
inquiries, I was able to work with the Regional Office to establish a series of
informational forums on the Fully Developed Claims process and provide critical
information and assistance to Arizona veterans. However, from those forums and
from the increased contact into my office from patients and doctors alike, it
became clear that the perpetual problems at PVAHCS were quickly escalating as
well. As a result, I dedicated two additional staffers in my Phoenix office and
one in my DC office to handle problems with the VA system in Maricopa County,
sending inquiries and assisting veterans wherever possible to schedule
appointments critical to their health. |
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| As a veteran
myself, I have long gone to battle with the VA bureaucracy on behalf of
Arizona's veterans. Since 2013, my office has assisted more than 2,000 veterans
in need of help, but it's obvious that much more needs to be done to fix the
systemic problems plaguing the VA. We will sustain our efforts to ensure
that veterans receive the care they deserve. If you know a veteran encountering
problems receiving care please contact my
office at 602-952-2410 or casework@mccain.senate.gov. Our nation has a duty to provide
the best quality of care to those who have served and sacrificed on our behalf,
and we must hold to account those responsible for breaking faith with that
solemn obligation. |
Wildfire
Season
With the horror of the 19
brave Granite Mountain Hotshots lost last summer still on our minds, Arizona is preparing for yet
another destructive wildfire season. Last year, wildfires scorched over 4.3
million acres across the United States, and experts warn this season could be
worse. I continue to work to strengthen our ability to fight wildfires
effectively and safely. While some progress has been made, there is more to do
in order to protect Arizonans and their property.
Last December, I wrote – and
Congress passed – a law as part of the 2013 Defense Act that directs the
transfer of seven C-130H military aircraft to the Forest Service to serve as
large air tankers to help fight wildfires. This transfer is crucial to our
ability to fight wildfires because most of our fixed-wing firefighting aircraft
are old, Korean War-era planes that are no longer fit for fire duty. A decade
ago, the Forest Service operated 44 large air tankers but today only have about
eight left. This large air tanker transfer is an important start, but more must
be done to modernize our wildfire fleet in order to support fire crews on the
ground.
Of
course, the best way to reduce wildfire severity over time is to thin our
overgrown forests. I continue to advocate for the White Mountain Stewardship
Contract and the Four Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI), which aims to
rebuild Arizona's once robust timber industry and create jobs that will restore
our fire-prone ecosystems. I look forward to Forest Service announcing a Final
Environmental Impact Statement on the 4FRI program later this
year.
In Case
You Missed It This Month
- Senators Ayotte,
Chambliss and I made clear our opposition to the Air Force’s
proposed premature retirement of the A-10 – a squadron of which is based at
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson – until an equally effective close air
support replacement reaches full operational capability. Just yesterday I confronted
senior Air Force leadership on this key issue.
- It was gratifying to see the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service’s Biological Opinion proving that Fort Huachuca is not jeopardizing
endangered species along the water-stressed San Pedro River.
- Senator Flake and I asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
for a prompt review of Governor Jan Brewer’s request that portions of national
forests in Arizona be designated as “insect and disease treatment areas,” which
would allow for forest management projects to mitigate the increased risk of
wildfires.
- The city of Yuma
celebrated its centennial this month and I am confident that, building on its remarkable
history, Yuma will continue to thrive in the next 100 years as it has for the
past century.
- I sent a letter
with other senators seeking information form Secretary of
Homeland Security Jeh Johnson about recent media reports that the Department of
Homeland Security encountered and released 68,000 illegal aliens with criminal
convictions in 2013.
- The National Park Service
opened 14,650 acres of newly-added land
at Petrified Forest National Park to the public.
- Senator Flake and I requested a delay in any proceedings to
reject Arizona’s fall protection standards for residential construction sites or
involve federal control of Arizona construction while there is ongoing action in
the Arizona legislature to address OSHA’s concerns.
- While I was glad to see an increase in Customs
officers at Arizona ports of entries, there remains a necessity for additional
technology and staffing at our ports of entry to help facilitate trade and
commerce with our neighbors in Mexico.
- Senator Flake and I received
the Spirit of Enterprise Award, an annual honor that recognizes Members of
Congress for their support of pro-growth, pro-jobs policies, at the Arizona
Chamber of Commerce and Industry's "Update From Capitol Hill" luncheon in
Phoenix.
- I attended a
briefing and got a first-hand look at the new
F-35s at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma.
Event
Spotlight: Judge John Roll Courthouse Dedication Ceremony
Last week I was honored to
be a small part of the ceremony dedicating the new federal courthouse in Yuma to
the memory of the late Chief Judge John Roll, who was killed in the January 2011
attack on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. I cannot imagine a greater example
of character or selflessness than Judge Roll and it is only fitting the new Yuma
courthouse be named in his honor. Judge Roll was known for his fairness to all
who appeared before him in his courtroom. He dedicated his life to public
service and was admired for his integrity, kindness and love for the law, for
the state of Arizona and for our country. Even in his death, Judge Roll put his
fellow man before himself, pulling Congresswoman Giffords’ staffer Ron Barber to
the ground and protecting Barber’s body with his own, saving his life. That is
true bravery and sacrifice. It is my hope that this building serves as a
memorial to Chief Judge Roll and his rich legacy, and inspires those who will
serve justice there. |
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