Washington, D.C. – Today, House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Julia Brownley met with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin to discuss their shared priorities and goals to improve VA healthcare and other VA programs that support our nation’s veterans.
“The Secretary and I had a very productive discussion on the priorities we hope to advance this year to address the pressing needs of our veterans,” said Rep. Brownley. “I am pleased that Secretary Shulkin shares my commitment to modernizing the VA, supporting the growing population of women veterans, and addressing the epidemic of veteran suicide. I look forward to working with Secretary Shulkin to make the VA a more modern, veteran-centric organization that will better serve veterans from all eras, including the more than two million women veterans nationwide.”
Brownley and Shulkin specifically discussed:
- Providing IVF treatment for veterans with service-connected reproductive challenges, and ensuring they have reliable and consistent access to this service year-to-year
- Building local networks to ensure women veterans have access to needed care, and training providers as women’s health providers
- Dedicating needed resources to end veteran homelessness
- Implementation of Rep. Brownley’s Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, which was signed into law in June 2016
- Addressing VA’s capital infrastructure needs and building a 21st Century VA that can quickly adapt to changing demographics
During the meeting, Brownley and Shulkin also discussed several bills that Brownley has introduced. Brownley released her full legislative agenda earlier this year, which can be found online here.
Issues: 115th Congress, Veterans' Affairs