Senate Memorial 17-002: Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability

• Colorado is home to more than 400,000 veterans, with the VA spending over $3.5 billion on their health care and benefits in 2015.

• A $16 billion program implemented two years prior failed to reduce wait times, with veterans currently waiting longer than ever to see providers, and only 1.9 to 2.5 percent of physicians finding government or military employment desirable.

• Veterans suicide rates are 21 percent higher than the general population and have increased 32 percent since 2001, with approximately 20 veterans committing suicide daily.

• The VA has failed to adequately punish corrupt employees, address misleading wait time reporting, protect whistleblowers from retaliation, and transition away from over-reliance on opioids for chronic pain treatment.

• Congress must pass reforms prioritizing service members over bureaucracy and ensure the VA provides high-quality, consistent health care while strengthening whistleblower protections and accountability measures.