RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, It recently came to light that the United States Department of Veterans Affairs's Health Care System in Phoenix, Arizona has a waiting list of nearly 1,600 veterans waiting to secure an appointment for medical care; and
WHEREAS, As a result of this massive backup in services, at least 40 veterans have died while awaiting appointments at the Phoenix facility; and
WHEREAS, Following the discovery of the debacle in Phoenix, federal authorities have opened investigations into twenty-six other VA hospitals across the country; and
WHEREAS, Chicagoland is the proud home ofthe Edward Hines, Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital, which serves thousands of veterans who live in and around the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Hines VA Hospital is currently under federal investigation stemming from allegations that executives have surreptitiously kept patients on wait lists as part of a scheme to collect bonuses for meeting benchmarks for providing timely treatment; and
WHEREAS, Without in any way maligning the vast majority of physicians, nurses, and staff who work tirelessly and honorably to provide care at Hines, it must be said that the alleged conduct on the part ofthe executives at the heart of this investigation is outrageous and completely unacceptable; and
WHEREAS, President Obama has vowed to investigate impropriety at the Department of Veterans Affairs and to hold those involved accountable; and
WHEREAS, Congress plays a key role in providing oversight to federal agencies throughout the federal government and enacting legislation to ensure all VA hospitals provide care in a timely manner; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-eighth day of May, 2014, do hereby call upon the City Council's Committee on Human Relations to hold a hearing on what actions the City of Chicago can take to ensure that our nation's veterans receive the respect, honor, and timely a...
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