Lujan Visits Albuquerque VA Facility, Meets with Acting VA Secretary
Santa Fe, NM – Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District released the following statement today after visiting the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque and meeting with Acting Secretary of the VA Sloan Gibson.
“The Albuquerque VA has experienced serious problems that have significantly impacted the quality and scheduling of care that New Mexico’s veterans have received. This mismanagement strikes at the very heart of our commitment to our veterans and must be fixed quickly and thoroughly. Secretary Gibson’s visit today provided an important opportunity to convey what New Mexico’s veterans have experienced – from unacceptable wait times to care that fails to live up to our commitment.
“I expressed the importance of accountability and transparency at the Albuquerque VA, so that we can take the necessary steps to provide health care that is worthy of the service of these brave men and women. Secretary Gibson assured us that, as members of Congress, we would receive information from the New Mexico VA that is critical to perform our oversight responsibility, and ensuring our veterans receive the care they deserve. It is also essential that whistleblowers who step forward with concerns regarding the treatment of veterans are listened to, and not intimidated and discouraged from speaking up. A culture of intimidation must change, and we need leadership that will embrace those who share their concerns rather than trying to hide or ignore them.
“Finally, I highlighted for the Secretary the importance of seeing that our veterans in rural areas across New Mexico have access to high quality care and the need to address the challenges that are unique to these communities.”
# # #
Next Article Previous Article