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| Boehner and Pelosi Resist Cries for Ouster of Veterans Affairs Chief | Boehner and Pelosi Resist Cries for Ouster of Veterans Affairs Chief |
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| WASHINGTON — As the list of lawmakers calling for the resignation of Eric Shinseki as secretary of veterans affairs grew by the hour Thursday, leaders in both parties worked to quiet the politics and find a legislative solution to the crisis of care at veterans’ health centers. | |
| Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, and the minority leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, both said that replacing Mr. Shinseki would not solve the core issue of unacceptable wait times and secret waiting lists at Department of Veterans Affairs health centers around the country. | Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, and the minority leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, both said that replacing Mr. Shinseki would not solve the core issue of unacceptable wait times and secret waiting lists at Department of Veterans Affairs health centers around the country. |
| But at least 100 members of Congress, including almost a dozen Senate Democrats, have called for Mr. Shinseki to step down. His fate could be determined as early as Friday by the results of an internal audit to assess the breadth of misconduct at veterans hospitals that he will deliver to the president. | But at least 100 members of Congress, including almost a dozen Senate Democrats, have called for Mr. Shinseki to step down. His fate could be determined as early as Friday by the results of an internal audit to assess the breadth of misconduct at veterans hospitals that he will deliver to the president. |
| The findings of the audit, coming just days after a scathing investigation by the department’s inspector general, are likely to further erode Mr. Shinseki’s rapidly crumbling support. | The findings of the audit, coming just days after a scathing investigation by the department’s inspector general, are likely to further erode Mr. Shinseki’s rapidly crumbling support. |
| White House aides declined to say whether Mr. Obama plans to seek Mr. Shinseki’s resignation before the president’s announcement of new climate regulations on Monday and his trip to Europe next week. But Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, repeatedly refused to say that the president still has confidence in Mr. Shinseki. | White House aides declined to say whether Mr. Obama plans to seek Mr. Shinseki’s resignation before the president’s announcement of new climate regulations on Monday and his trip to Europe next week. But Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, repeatedly refused to say that the president still has confidence in Mr. Shinseki. |
| Mr. Shinseki was getting support from some quarters. Stewart Hickey, national executive of Amvets, the veterans service organization, pleaded with House Republicans that “cutting off the head of the monster” would not solve the problems veterans are facing. | Mr. Shinseki was getting support from some quarters. Stewart Hickey, national executive of Amvets, the veterans service organization, pleaded with House Republicans that “cutting off the head of the monster” would not solve the problems veterans are facing. |
| But the words of temperance held little sway with lawmakers. “Secretary Shinseki has served our country honorably over many decades, but in the interest of regaining the trust of our veterans, and implementing real and lasting reforms, I believe it is time for him to step aside and allow new leadership to take the helm at the V.A. to correct these failings immediately,” said Senator Kay Hagan, Democrat of North Carolina, who is facing a difficult re-election fight in a state with a large military presence. | But the words of temperance held little sway with lawmakers. “Secretary Shinseki has served our country honorably over many decades, but in the interest of regaining the trust of our veterans, and implementing real and lasting reforms, I believe it is time for him to step aside and allow new leadership to take the helm at the V.A. to correct these failings immediately,” said Senator Kay Hagan, Democrat of North Carolina, who is facing a difficult re-election fight in a state with a large military presence. |
| Even legislators who want to see Mr. Shinseki go acknowledge that a change at the top of the V.A. will do little to resolve problems of wait times and access to care that the inspector general’s report noted go back at least to 2005 — and could even slow progress. | Even legislators who want to see Mr. Shinseki go acknowledge that a change at the top of the V.A. will do little to resolve problems of wait times and access to care that the inspector general’s report noted go back at least to 2005 — and could even slow progress. |
| Representative Jeff Miller of Florida, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, had resisted calling for Mr. Shinseki’s resignation for days, saying it would turn attention first to the search for a successor, then to confirmation hearings, and finally it would force a “honeymoon” period to let the new secretary get a team in place and start fresh. Then this week he changed course. | Representative Jeff Miller of Florida, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, had resisted calling for Mr. Shinseki’s resignation for days, saying it would turn attention first to the search for a successor, then to confirmation hearings, and finally it would force a “honeymoon” period to let the new secretary get a team in place and start fresh. Then this week he changed course. |
| “Look, they are not going to get a honeymoon,” Mr. Miller promised Thursday. | “Look, they are not going to get a honeymoon,” Mr. Miller promised Thursday. |
| Beyond the Shinseki debate, Republicans and Democrats are grappling with a more profound issue, the future of veterans’ health care, that goes to the core of their political identities: Should the collection of government-owned-and-run medical centers be expanded to cope with millions of young service members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan? Or should care for such veterans increasingly be privatized? | Beyond the Shinseki debate, Republicans and Democrats are grappling with a more profound issue, the future of veterans’ health care, that goes to the core of their political identities: Should the collection of government-owned-and-run medical centers be expanded to cope with millions of young service members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan? Or should care for such veterans increasingly be privatized? |
| “Veterans are caught in a philosophical argument between people who want to get rid of the V.A. entirely and people who think the V.A. is wonderful,” said Paul Rieckhoff, chief executive and founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “Maybe there will be some newfound urgency for compromise around a clear strategic, military and real priority. Maybe we can unite this country around one big thing: caring for our veterans.” | “Veterans are caught in a philosophical argument between people who want to get rid of the V.A. entirely and people who think the V.A. is wonderful,” said Paul Rieckhoff, chief executive and founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “Maybe there will be some newfound urgency for compromise around a clear strategic, military and real priority. Maybe we can unite this country around one big thing: caring for our veterans.” |
| House Republicans readied legislation that would send veterans who have waited for care for 30 days or more to private physicians, at the V.A.’s expense. | House Republicans readied legislation that would send veterans who have waited for care for 30 days or more to private physicians, at the V.A.’s expense. |
| Senate Democrats were drafting a far more complex bill. To alleviate the short-term crisis, it would allow veterans to get private care paid for by the V.A., access Department of Defense health centers, Indian Health Services and federally licensed community health centers. Longer term, it would fund 27 new V.A. facilities and advance a partnership between the department and the National Health Service, offering medical students scholarships or loan forgiveness in exchange for five years of service at V.A. facilities, said Senator Bernard Sanders, independent of Vermont and chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. | Senate Democrats were drafting a far more complex bill. To alleviate the short-term crisis, it would allow veterans to get private care paid for by the V.A., access Department of Defense health centers, Indian Health Services and federally licensed community health centers. Longer term, it would fund 27 new V.A. facilities and advance a partnership between the department and the National Health Service, offering medical students scholarships or loan forgiveness in exchange for five years of service at V.A. facilities, said Senator Bernard Sanders, independent of Vermont and chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. |
| “If there’s any silver lining in this horrendous situation, maybe the country will focus on the crisis of primary care throughout our health system,” he said. Mr. Sanders said he planned to have a new version ready by the June 5 hearings on the crisis. | “If there’s any silver lining in this horrendous situation, maybe the country will focus on the crisis of primary care throughout our health system,” he said. Mr. Sanders said he planned to have a new version ready by the June 5 hearings on the crisis. |
| Members of both parties were seeking some middle ground that would maintain and bolster the core functions of the V.A.’s health centers, such as post-traumatic stress treatment, amputation and blindness care, and traumatic brain injury assistance, while bringing on new private resources to deal with onerous waiting lists. | Members of both parties were seeking some middle ground that would maintain and bolster the core functions of the V.A.’s health centers, such as post-traumatic stress treatment, amputation and blindness care, and traumatic brain injury assistance, while bringing on new private resources to deal with onerous waiting lists. |
| “The question I ask myself is, ‘Is him resigning going to get us to the bottom of the problem? Is it going to help us find out what’s really going on?’ And the answer I keep getting is no,” Mr. Boehner told reporters. “This is more than just about phony waiting lists. This is also about the quality of care we provide for our veterans.” | “The question I ask myself is, ‘Is him resigning going to get us to the bottom of the problem? Is it going to help us find out what’s really going on?’ And the answer I keep getting is no,” Mr. Boehner told reporters. “This is more than just about phony waiting lists. This is also about the quality of care we provide for our veterans.” |
| Ms. Pelosi said she had “no problem” tapping private care at federally certified health centers, but, she said, more money would be needed to train more primary care doctors and attract them into the V.A. system, perhaps through student debt forgiveness. | Ms. Pelosi said she had “no problem” tapping private care at federally certified health centers, but, she said, more money would be needed to train more primary care doctors and attract them into the V.A. system, perhaps through student debt forgiveness. |
| “Endless war abroad has its costs at home,” she said. | “Endless war abroad has its costs at home,” she said. |
| Mr. Sanders and Senator Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, the ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also said there could be compromise. New department facilities could be placed inside community hospitals or federally licensed community care centers. In Alaska, veterans already have access to federal Indian Health Centers, Mr. Sanders noted. | Mr. Sanders and Senator Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, the ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also said there could be compromise. New department facilities could be placed inside community hospitals or federally licensed community care centers. In Alaska, veterans already have access to federal Indian Health Centers, Mr. Sanders noted. |
| But such glimpses of bipartisan pragmatism may be swamped by the politics of an election year. The Republican National Committee tried to blame Hillary Rodham Clinton for the department’s problems, while beginning fund-raising efforts off the scandal. The National Republican Congressional Committee hit Mr. Obama for his response to the crisis above a tab on its website reading, “Help fight liberals by donating today.” | But such glimpses of bipartisan pragmatism may be swamped by the politics of an election year. The Republican National Committee tried to blame Hillary Rodham Clinton for the department’s problems, while beginning fund-raising efforts off the scandal. The National Republican Congressional Committee hit Mr. Obama for his response to the crisis above a tab on its website reading, “Help fight liberals by donating today.” |
| The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee went after Republicans for their “shameful, anti-veteran” records, even as it denounced the politicization of the V.A. issue. | The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee went after Republicans for their “shameful, anti-veteran” records, even as it denounced the politicization of the V.A. issue. |
| Republicans have been careful to avoid any talk of dismantling the V.A. But Representative Duncan Hunter, Republican of California, did pointedly say he sought private health care for a shoulder injury he sustained in the Iraq War. | Republicans have been careful to avoid any talk of dismantling the V.A. But Representative Duncan Hunter, Republican of California, did pointedly say he sought private health care for a shoulder injury he sustained in the Iraq War. |
| “I chose not to go to the V.A. because the V.A. does not work,” he said. | “I chose not to go to the V.A. because the V.A. does not work,” he said. |