Washington, D.C. — Today, House Republicans passed H.R. 5620, the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act, by a vote of 310 – 116. This bill will make it easier to hold VA employees accountable for their actions. In response to egregious misconduct on the part of VA employees, and the current inability for the agency to respond efficiently, this bill reforms the appeals process and allows the agency to deal with performance issues in an expedited fashion. The bill will also streamline and expedite the appeals process for VA disability benefits. Congressman Collins, a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, has long been outspoken on issues of veterans’ affairs. From Atlanta to Denver, the issues plaguing the VA have never been more apparent and Congressman Collins was proud to passionately outline a case for the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act on Tuesday when he managed the rule on the floor.

“This behavior would not slide in the private sector, and we certainly shouldn’t stand for it when it comes to our nation’s heroes, who have put their lives on the line to serve our country…That’s not fair to the hardworking individuals who are in fact doing their jobs, and it’s certainly not fair to veterans…It’s a time to decide, are we going to continue to make excuses? Or are we going to put the veterans first?”