Trump Says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is 'Correct' in Her Comments About the VA
President Donald Trump agreed with Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York on Wednesday that the Veterans Affairs medical system is doing well, but disagreed with her as to the reason why.
At a town hall event last week, Ocasio-Cortez stated that the VA provides some of the “highest quality” health care, but claimed Trump and others are trying to needlessly change it to benefit private medical providers.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” the freshman representative said. “This thing that isn’t broken. This thing that provides some of the highest quality care to our veterans, somehow needs to be fixed, optimized, tinkered with until we don’t even recognize it.”
“They are trying to fix it,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. “But who are they trying to fix it for, is the question we’ve got to ask. And this is who they’re trying to fix it for. They’re trying to fix the VA for pharmaceutical companies. They’re trying to fix it for insurance corporations, and ultimately they’re trying to fix the VA for a for-profit health care industry that does not put people or veterans first.”
Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) claims that the VA provides the “highest quality of [health]care” to veterans, says: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” pic.twitter.com/bYFEprdYRS
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) April 22, 2019
Trump responded to Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks saying she is “correct.”
“Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is correct, the VA is not broken, it is doing great,” he tweeted. “But that is only because of the Trump Administration. We got Veterans Choice & Accountability passed. ‘President Trump deserves a lot of credit.’ Dan Caldwell, Concerned Veterans of America.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is correct, the VA is not broken, it is doing great. But that is only because of the Trump Administration. We got Veterans Choice & Accountability passed. “President Trump deserves a lot of credit.” Dan Caldwell, Concerned Veterans of America
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 24, 2019
Military.com reported Trump signed the VA Mission Act into law last June, which replaces the Veterans Choice Program begun under the Obama administration.
“This is truly a historic moment, a historic time for our country,” the president said during a Rose Garden signing ceremony at the time. “We’re allowing our veterans to get access to the best medical care available, whether it’s at the VA or at a private provider.”
“The work that they’ve done is really inspirational to me,” President @realdonaldtrump in the Rose Garden before signing the VA Missions Act. ??
. . .#tv #healthcare #veterans #film #USA #inspirational #work pic.twitter.com/96w97aVS7E— Anthony Peltier (@_anthonypeltier) June 7, 2018
The VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act became law during Trump’s first year in office.
“The bill (makes) it easier for VA employees, including executives, to be fired by lowering the standard of evidence required to ‘remove, demote or suspend’ someone for poor performance or misconduct. It also gives whistleblowers more protections, including preventing the VA from removing an employee with an open whistleblower case,” CBS News reported.
“The major problem with the VA is not the quality of health care,” retired Army four-star Gen. Jack Keane told Fox Business Network on Tuesday. “The problem is getting access to the system is what so frustrates our veterans.”
“The VA clearly is not where it should be,” he added. “I do believe this administration has put emphasis on this in a way that previous administrations have not.”
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