Washington D.C. (February 5, 2025) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) has released a letter, signed by the Georgia Republican Congressional Delegation, to newly confirmed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins expressing deep concern with the VA’s failures in Georgia during the Biden Administration. They are requesting that Secretary Collins visits Georgia VA as soon as possible, to see the scale of work needed to reform the department.
In their letter, the lawmakers highlight the poor service Georgia veterans have received over the past several years, “We write to you today, frustrated with the quality of service to Georgia veterans during the previous administration. Members made multiple attempts to notify the previous administration, and the leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA,) about the problems in Georgia. Those appeals were not only ignored; but the department’s leaders and allies in the previous administration actively campaigned against any positive adjustments. Your predecessor pursued avenues to circumvent the VA MISSION Act, and to keep veterans from accessing quality care.”
“We invite you to visit the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center and other VA facilities in Georgia at your earliest convenience, and to address these issues. We stand ready to work with you to rectify this past refusal to improve service to our veterans, and to remove any barriers preventing veterans from pursuing the care they deserve,” the lawmakers added.
“Our nation’s brave veterans put their lives on the line to defend the freedoms we all hold dear, and they deserve the highest quality of care this country can provide. The barriers that hinder our veterans from receiving adequate care throughout the state are simply unacceptable. The VA must initiate comprehensive oversight and enhance transparency to guarantee that meaningful improvements are made promptly,” said Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11). “I join my colleagues in calling for complete accountability from the VA; and implore them to act without delay. I also call upon my friend and former colleague, Secretary Collins, to visit our VA facilities in Georgia as soon as possible.”
“Our veterans deserve the best, and I trust Secretary Collins to ensure that our veterans in Georgia and beyond are properly cared for,” said Rep. Austin Scott (GA-08).
“Following the failures of the Biden Administration’s horrendous VA policy in Georgia, we are all excited for incoming VA Secretary, our former colleague and fellow Georgian, Doug Collins, to begin his work. I am excited to join Rep. Loudermilk’s letter and look forward to hosting Secretary Collins in the Peach State soon,” said Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01).
“The Biden-Harris Administration woefully failed our veterans in the Peach State, resulting in inadequate service, extended wait times, and insufficient access to community care. I’m confident that VA Secretary Collins is equipped with the experience and leadership needed to address these challenges, and I look forward to working with him to ensure our veterans receive the quality care and support that they deserve,” said Rep. Andrew Clyde (GA-09).
“It’s no secret that the Biden administration purposely restricted community care options for America’s veterans by subverting the VA MISSION Act. Doug Collins understands that without these options, our nation’s heroes become trapped in a bureaucratic sea of red tape that does not always work for them,” said Rep. Mike Collins (GA-10). “With 700,000 veterans in our home state of Georgia, I’m proud that Doug Collins has been confirmed as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and I know that he will ensure that our veterans have access to care they need.”
“The Biden Administration failed Georgia’s veterans by ignoring consistent calls for improvements and sidestepping requirements to improve access to quality care. As we begin a new era at the Department of Veterans Affairs, I am confident that Doug Collins will usher in the accountability and reforms needed to ensure our veterans are properly cared for after their service. Secretary Collins certainly has an open invitation to visit the 12th District of Georgia and our VA hospitals in Augusta and Dublin,” said Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12).
Click here to read the full letter.
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