A few minutes ago Secretary Shinseki offered me his own resignation. With considerable regret, I accept it.
The move may have been inevitable, as more than 100 members of Congress from both parties had been calling for his resignation. And yes, it may have been necessary. But one man’s resignation is not the solution to systemic failure.
That is why my letter this week goes to one of the leaders in Washington who had the opportunity to address the needs of our nation’s veterans, and chose not to.
Dear Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell:
It’s me, Melissa.
You were quick to praise the resignation of Secretary Shinseki yesterday, and that’s fine. Sometimes the face of an institution needs to change so that the institution itself can change. But I’m more concerned with your approach to our veterans a few months back.
Now I get it. When you look at the numbers associated with taking care of our veterans, it can be daunting. The number of veterans right now in the United States is almost 22 million. Nearly 9 million veterans are currently enrolled in the VA health care system, and that system includes more than 1,270 VA vet centers, hospitals and outpatient clinics. Now, according to the VA inspector general’s report, 42 of those facilities are under investigation for possible neglect to veterans’ care.
Which is why, Sen. McConnell, I want to bring you back to this moment — this year’s State of the Union address in January and the standing ovation for Army Ranger Sgt. First Class Cory Remsburg, who was severely injured by a roadside bomb during his 10th deployment. A standing ovation from everyone. Democrats. Republicans. As divided as our politicians in Washington are, it was a moment that made us feel at least on this point, at least on the point of supporting our veterans, as though we had unity.
But then, nearly one month later, you and your Republican Senate colleagues opposed a bill introduced by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs: a $20 billion bill that would have helped to care for and educate our military men and women.
I don’t think our veterans want their programs to be enhanced if every penny of the money that’s going to enhance those programs is added to the debt of the United States of America.








