An overlooked bipartisan success story in 2017: VA reform

From the Grammy Awards to the Pro Bowl, it is an American tradition to start the new year by celebrating last year’s successes. These celebrations may seem indulgent, but they serve a purpose: to remind us about achievements that might otherwise be forgotten. Just like sports or entertainment, the end of the year dominated headlines when it came to what Congress accomplished (or didn’t) in 2017.

The push to pass tax cuts was hectic and eventful, with even Republicans saying a major legislative victory was needed after several attempts to repeal Obamacare failed. Yet there was another legislative victory in 2017, one at least as impressive as tax cuts in almost every way: reform at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill may have passed in another era — last June — but it should not be forgotten.

Fully known as the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, this bill brought bipartisan reform to a major government agency that has often failed to serve perhaps the most cherished group of American citizens. The bill was only the first step in a long reform process, but it has already made a meaningful difference.

For decades, veterans have traded stories of VA incompetence like they were military-exclusive baseball cards. We were told to wait for months for medical appointments, and resolving other problems was nearly impossible. The VA billing office was infamous for almost never picking up the phone, even after veterans spent hours on hold. Yet calling was your only option, as the VA treated email like an alien technology from a distant future.

Multiple news stories confirmed veterans’ complaints were not just whining. Not only were wait-times egregious, but several VA offices had falsified records to meet scheduling goals. Several veterans died awaiting medical appointments that were never coming. The level of callousness was shocking, even to those of us with experience in the VA system.