News

Actions

Op-ed: Cincinnati VA Medical Center is improving, but work remains to be done

Posted at 8:00 AM, Feb 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-25 12:57:50-05

Sen. Sherrod Brown is  U.S. senator from Ohio. He is a Democrat and serves on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. 

Nothing is more important than taking care of our veterans, and I was proud to help bring about new leadership at the Cincinnati VA – as reported by WCPO.

READ MORE: “One year after controversy, how much has changed at Cincinnati VA Medical Center?”

WCPO, in cooperation with Scripps' Washington D.C. staff, uncovered troubling allegations at the Cincinnati VA and I am grateful for your investigative reporting.

Sen. Brown

As Ohio’s only senator to serve a full term on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I met personally with workers and VA officials in Cincinnati to hear their stories firsthand. I took their concerns directly to the VA Secretary and demanded immediate action.

I sent my staff to Cincinnati to investigate, and we followed up with VA officials in Washington weekly – sometimes daily – until we got meaningful results.

With new leadership in place, the Cincinnati VA has taken important steps to ensure high-quality care for veterans and to create an environment in which whistleblowers are respected. I continue to hear positive feedback from workers and community members in Cincinnati, and there’s no question things are moving in the right direction. 

But when it comes to caring for those who put their lives on the line for our nation, our job is never done. I am continuing to communicate with the VA, local workers and veterans to hold the Cincinnati VA accountable for meeting the standards our veterans deserve.

Read WCPO's VA investigation: Exclusive: Whistleblowers cite disorder at VA hospital

This column represents the opinion of the author. It does not represent WCPO’s opinion. WCPO.com publishes a variety of different opinions. It is part of what makes us different. Our hope is that by publishing different voices from individuals in our community we can be a catalyst for conversation and discussion. For more op-eds, please go to our Community Voices page.

To submit an op-ed, email Managing Editor for Opinion David Holthaus at david.holthaus@wcpo.com.