Bush's VA Head, ex-RNC Chairman Quits Amid Scrutiny on Veterans Care

[Guest Harry Hope]

His resignation comes amid intense political and public scrutiny of

the Pentagon and VA following reports of shoddy outpatient care of

injured troops and veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and

elsewhere.

 

It also ends a beleaguered two-year tenure in which Nicholson

repeatedly fought off calls for his resignation over the VA's

unexpected $1.3 billion shortfall in 2005 that put health care at

risk;

 

last summer's theft of 26.5 million veterans' personal data in what

was the government's largest security breach;

 

and, more recently, the award of $3.8 million in bonuses to senior

officials who were responsible for the agency's budget problems.

 

Walter Reed is a Pentagon-run facility.

 

But charges of poor treatment relating to poor coordination quickly

extended to the VA's vast network of 1,400 hospitals and clinics,

which serve 5.8 million veterans.

 

The VA also has a severe backlog of disability payments to injured

veterans, with overwhelming delays of 177 days that Nicholson has

called unacceptable.

 

``Secretary Nicholson's resignation should be welcome news for all

veterans,'' said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and

Afghanistan Veterans of America.

 

``The VA under Secretary Nicholson has been woefully unprepared for

the influx of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, consistently

underestimating the number of new veterans who would seek care, and

failing to spend the money Congress allotted to treat mental health

issues.''

 

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Nicholson was national Republican chairman from 1997 through the 2000

elections and a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.

 

Within months of taking office at the 235,000-employee VA, he had to

deal with a $1 billion shortfall at the government's second largest

agency, requiring the Bush administration to appeal to Congress for

emergency spending.

 

Republicans blamed the shortfall on unexpected health care demands

from veterans.

 

But Democrats said it was an example of what they said was the

administration's inadequate planning for the war in Iraq.

 

 

From The Associated Press, 7/18/07:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6786905,00.html

 

VA Head Quits Amid Scrutiny on Vets Care

 

By HOPE YEN

Associated Press Writer

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) -

 

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson abruptly resigned Tuesday after months of

the Bush administration struggling to defend charges of shoddy

treatment for veterans injured in the Iraq war.

 

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Another example of how little concen Republicans have for our troops.

 

Harry