Veterans Pressure Senators to Co-Sponsor Bipartisan VA Accountability Legislation
Nationwide Advocacy Effort Urges Senators to Co-Sponsor VA Management Accountability Act; Thanks Co-Sponsors
Arlington, Va. – Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) today launched a nationwide advocacy campaign, “Walk the Walk,” urging key senators to co-sponsor the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act (S.2013, companion to H.R. 4031)—a bill that would empower the VA Secretary to fire failing executives. The six-figure multi-media effort across 8 states targets 11 senators and congressmen and will run for three weeks.
This new advocacy campaign comes on the heels of months of CVA grassroots efforts—on Capitol Hill and across the nation—directly urging bipartisan co-sponsorship of S.2013. The House version of the bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support (390-33) last week, sending a strong signal to senators; but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has yet to considered the bill. We believe building a robust and bipartisan list of co-sponsors (currently at 25 co-sponsors) will demonstrate broad Senate support for action.
In the past few months, CVA has directly and repeatedly contacted every senator targeted by this multi-media campaign—urging co-sponsorship of S.2013. This outreach included attempts for face-to-face meetings with Senators and/or staff from each office in early April. Persistent opposition, or radio silence, from these offices necessitates robust issue advocacy to induce support for long-overdue VA accountability.
As the effort’s capstone video will emphasize, it’s time for the senators to “walk the walk” on VA accountability. The effort will be accompanied by a two-week CVA grassroots push calling on Senators Harry Reid and Bernie Sanders to bring S.2013 to the Senate floor for a vote. CVA volunteers will be also be calling and visiting Senators who are not yet co-sponsors of S.2013.
Pete Hegseth, CEO of CVA, issued the following statement on the advocacy effort:
“This effort demonstrates how serious CVA is about finally bringing accountability to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Last week’s House vote was overwhelmingly bipartisan—with Speaker Boehner, Nancy Pelosi and 388 of their colleagues voting for it. Yet, for reasons unknown, Senators Harry Reid and Bernie Sanders blocked the same bill in the Senate. These ads urge senators to show immediate leadership by co-sponsoring this commonsense VA accountability legislation and demanding it receive a vote.
“We’re also thanking House and Senate co-sponsors—both Democrat and Republican—for their support of the VA Management Accountability Act, and calling on their colleagues in the Senate to become co-sponsors. Our veterans are suffering—and in some cases even dying—because of long wait times and cover-ups at the VA. This bill is an essential first step toward real reform at the VA.”
Online and television “urge” ads will target Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Harry Reid (D-NV), and Mark Warner (D-VA) for S.2013 co-sponsorship.
Additionally, Concerned Veterans for America thanks members who co-sponsored VA accountability with “thank you” ads as part of this push. These members include Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Richard Burr (R-NC), as well as Congressmen David Scott (D-GA), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Jeff Miller (R-FL).
Follow @ConcernedVets on Twitter and join the conversation with #WalkTheWalk.
To schedule a TV interview with Pete Hegseth, CEO of CVA, or other CVA experts, please email booking@guestbooker.com.
For more information, contact Emily Laird at 571.302.0973 or email elaird@cv4a.org.
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Concerned Veterans for America is a non-partisan, non-profit, 501(c)(4) organization that advocates for policies that will preserve the freedom and liberty we and our families so proudly fought and sacrificed to defend.