Legislation Will Reform Veterans Affairs Department

A bipartisan deal to start reforming the troubled Veterans Affairs Department is in the works in the Senate. A group of Democrats and Republicans has worked out legislation aimed at speeding up care for veterans.

Vermont independent Bernie Sanders said every veteran in America deserves high-quality care in a timely manner. Sanders, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said the measure would authorize the hiring of more doctors and nurses and the construction of more VA hospitals.

The VA has been under fire for systemic scheduling problems and delays. The problems are most acute at the VA health clinic in Phoenix where up to 40 vets may have died while awaiting appointments for care.

Arizona Republican John McCain said the compromise legislation gives many vets the flexibility to get healthcare outside the VA system. It would also give the Obama administration broader authority to fire people at the VA. Embattled VA Secretary Eric Shinseki , a retired Army general, resigned last week. (Metro Networks Inc.)