Budzinski Stands Up Against Privatizing Care for Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) participated in a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs  hearing on the troubling push to privatize health care for our nation’s veterans. In her remarks, Budzinski questioned witnesses on the consequences of H.R. 10267, the Complete the Mission Act. This legislation would codify existing Community Care access standards into law, channeling critical resources to private-sector providers, even in situations where care through the VA would be more appropriate, effective, and cost-efficient.

WATCH: Budzinski Raises Concerns on Privatizing Care for Our Veterans

As a member of the Subcommittee on Health, Rep. Budzinski is focused on improving care for our nation’s veterans. Most recently, she worked to pass her bipartisan Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act in September. The bill would make it easier for veterans to access their earned benefits by requiring the VA to eliminate overcomplicated language from written communications with veterans. Additionally, she has launched a Veterans Advisory Council and Women Veterans Advisory Council to inform her work on the committee and give local veterans a seat at the table. 

Budzinski’s opening remarks can be found below:

Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you to the witnesses for being here today to share your thoughts on improving VA care for our nation’s veterans. I also appreciate the efforts of my colleagues for offering legislation that builds on suicide prevention efforts, bolsters our VA medical workforce, and develops unique care for women veterans.

That being said, I am deeply concerned by some of the legislation offered today that would open the door to privatizing VA care. 

According to a Red Team Executive Roundtable Report released earlier this year, an alarming rate of veterans are being pushed to community care providers – threatening to erode VA’s direct care system.

I believe some of this legislation will only push us closer to that breaking point. 

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