Congressional Visits to VA Hospitals: A Necessity or Redundancy?

Should there be a law requiring all members of Congress, including the Cabinet, to visit military/VA hospitals 1-2 times per year? As a former VA employee who facilitated these visits, I argue that such a law is unnecessary and potentially unhelpful.

Experiences and Perspective

In my seven-year tenure, I had the unique experience of working both inside and outside the VA system, facilitating congressional visits. First, as a staffer on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and later as a Congressional Relations Officer. My perspective is that while congressional visits can be beneficial, legislating these visits is not the solution.

The Purpose and Limitations of Congressional Visits

When Congress members visit VA hospitals, what are they looking for? Understanding this is crucial to evaluating the effectiveness of such visits. These visits can be an opportunity to gain insights into the challenges faced by veterans and the healthcare system, but they are not a substitute for thorough oversight and expertise.

Most congressional members do not have a medical background and may struggle to provide meaningful advice. External reviews and evaluations conducted regularly by trained professionals are already in place. These reviews cover every aspect of the hospital's operations and ensure compliance with VA standards. Therefore, the additional visits by congressional members are not likely to add significant value.

Alternatives to Legislative Requirements

The idea of mandating these visits could be counterproductive. Instead of focusing on lawmakers' attendance, efforts should be directed at engaging the public and encouraging active participation in holding representatives accountable.

Here are some alternative approaches:

Direct Engagement: Encourage veterans and their advocates to directly ask their representatives when they last visited a VA facility. Follow-up and Accountability: If the representative does not respond or attends infrequently, voters should make this a point in future elections. Public Awareness Campaigns: Increase public awareness about the importance of VA healthcare and the role of representatives in supporting it.

Personal Experiences

During my time at VA, we made significant efforts to ensure that new Members of Congress were briefed on our activities. We prepared comprehensive briefing packs and arranged visits to local hospitals and clinics. However, getting members to visit locally was challenging.

While a few dozen Members were consistently in contact with us, many others remained largely unfamiliar with the day-to-day realities of VA healthcare. We often had to arrange meetings in our headquarters rather than in field visits. This apathy among many members underscored the need for alternative methods of ensuring accountability.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while congressional visits to VA hospitals can be valuable, legislating these visits is not the solution. Instead, fostering direct engagement and public accountability is more effective. Veterans and their advocates should take the initiative to ensure that their representatives are committed to supporting the VA and its mission. If representatives fail to show interest, voters have the power to make their voices heard in the next election.

Legislating congressional visits might create the impression of action, but it does not address the underlying issues and may even detract from more substantive forms of oversight.