Examining concerns about the Veterans Health Administration

In recent years, systemic issues within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have come to light, and the debate in Congress about how to address them continues. The issue became a topic in the presidential race this past week. Several recent reports have also kept VA’s widespread problems in the spotlight. Among other issues, the Government Accountability Office has observed that wait times for treatments in mental health care have been as long as nine months. Although part of the problem is that the system is presently overburdened, numerous policies within the organization are being questioned.

On November 4, the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence at Brookings hosted an event to examine concerns regarding the VA. Representative Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs was joined by Representative Tim Walz (D-Minn.), who also serves on the same committee. Brookings Senior Fellow Michael O’Hanlon, author of “The Future of Land Warfare” (Brookings Institution Press, 2015), moderated the event.