Despite mounting pressure on both sides of the political aisle for the firing of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, none of Hawaii’s congressional delegation members, all Democrats, had joined the calls Thursday seeking his ouster.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a war veteran, said on MSNBC that Shinseki, who was born on Kauai and also is a war veteran, should remain on the job until an investigation into allegations of misconduct at VA hospitals is completed.
"My concern is if we fire Shinseki without the follow-through, without understanding what needs to happen, then everyone will feel better and think that they did something, but veterans will still continue to suffer," Gabbard said on "The Daily Rundown," according to an online report by The Hill, which covers Congress.
Gabbard was responding to the escalating calls for Shinseki’s ouster, including from two Democratic candidates Thursday in key Senate races in Kentucky and South Dakota.
The growing controversy centers on allegations of treatment delays at VA hospitals and President Barack Obama’s handling of the scandal.
After several weeks of silence, Obama insisted Wednesday that there would be accountability once an ongoing VA investigation is completed. But he also said his administration plans to work with Shinseki, a retired four-star general, to solve the problem.
The department says 26 facilities are being investigated nationwide, including a Phoenix hospital where staff allegedly kept a secret list to hide delays, contributing to patient deaths.
"The allegations of misconduct at VA hospitals and the wait times veterans are facing for care are unacceptable and appalling," said Sen. Brian Schatz in an emailed statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "We need to do better for America’s veterans who answered the call for all of us."
A Schatz spokeswoman said he is awaiting the investigation results and is not calling for Shinseki’s resignation.
Rep. Colleen Hanabusa took a similar position, saying that Shinseki, as a veteran, has earned the right to have the investigation completed before any decision is made on whether he should continue in his current job.
"The allegations regarding the VA health care system in Phoenix describe an unacceptable situation and demand our full and immediate attention," Hanabusa said in an emailed statement. "I am confident that Secretary Shinseki shares that concern and will fully assist in the current investigation."
Gabbard said in a statement that the VA has failed to proactively address systemic problems.
"The bottom line is our veterans are not getting the service they deserve, whether it be inordinate wait times for doctor’s appointments, issues with medical records or long delays in claims being resolved," she said. "Change is long overdue. This is an urgent issue that began long before allegations of serious misconduct surfaced in Phoenix."
Once the extent of the problems is clear, a determination must be made on who is best to lead the reforms, according to Gabbard. "I am not interested in making symbolic gestures that may serve to calm criticism, but which do not actually help veterans who are suffering and dying on our watch," she said.
Hanabusa said in her statement that as soon as she heard about the Phoenix allegations, she asked the VA for a report on whether similar accusations have surfaced in Hawaii’s health care system. Although she has yet to receive a response, Hanabusa said she has received no reports from constituents that "rise to the level of what we have heard in Phoenix."
