WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) applauded the passage of a bipartisan amendment he co-sponsored with Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.) requiring the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to release detailed information about the quality of its 133 nursing homes nationwide. The senators filed the amendment in response to a story first published by USA Today and The Boston Globe revealing that the VA collected data revealing very poor quality at some nursing homes, but did not release this information to the public. Although the VA has taken an important step by releasing the star ratings of its nursing homes, the underlying data is still not publically available. The amendment requires the VA to publically release detailed information about the rating of each nursing home, and the underlying metrics and criteria used to make the rating determination, within 90 days of enactment and then on an annual basis. It also requires a report to Congress with the same information.
“America’s veterans are deserving of world-class care. If that care is not being delivered, VA must be transparent so that veterans and their families can make informed decisions,” Grassley said. “Transparency and accountability is necessary at all levels of government, but particularly concerning the health and well-being of our nation’s veterans. This legislation is a good step forward. Now, the VA must follow through and step up its efforts to take care of the men and women who gave up so much and ask for so little in return.”
The amendment (S.Amdt.3013) was included in H.R.5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, which recently passed the Senate. The amendment is cosponsored by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Dean Heller (R-NV), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
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