Wenstrup, a veteran of the Iraq war and physician, has actively pressed VA officials during his first 18 months in Congress about structural inefficiencies, such as doctors entering data instead of seeing patients.
“I’m honored to join the VA Conference Committee as we work towards long-term reforms to eliminate the problems our veterans face every day,” Wenstrup said when asked for comment. “The challenges we face are largely administrative, not a question of funding.”
Asked about negotiating with the Senate over differences in proposed legislation, Wenstrup said he “hoped to find common ground with the Senate to eliminate the systemic VA inefficiencies that block our veterans from receiving timely care. The Department of Veterans Affairs should be in the business of serving veterans, not protecting bureaucrats.”
The House of Representatives passed two pieces of reform legislation in recent weeks. The first allows the VA Secretary to quickly fire underperforming executives, and the second expands veterans’ access to care. Wenstrup is a cosponsor of both House bills and a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.