Skip to main content

Amata wants more VA staff in American Samoa

March 22, 2017

Washington, D.C. –Wednesday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, and the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on Capitol Hill this afternoon to examine ways the VA might improve their hiring practices, and retain good employees.

Image
Amata and Sen. Sullivan

Amata with her colleague Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee

"I want to thank Chairman Wenstrup and my colleagues on the subcommittee for holding today's hearing which is so important for improving the services for our veterans," said Amata. "Veteran's health concerns are an issue that I hold close to my heart. I represent the territory of American Samoa; and from the Army's own website, our recruitment depot has the highest recruitment rate out of all 885 recruitment depots. I find it quite distressful then that my constituents, who greatly rely on the services of the Department of Veterans Affairs, often have to travel to Hawai'i for medical care. Now, the onus of the blame cannot solely be placed on the Department of Veterans Affairs; it's failure of action here in Congress that punishes veterans as well." concluded Amata. Amata questioned the witnesses on the best way to attract and retain staff in remote and rural areas, such as American Samoa.

Specifically, during this hearing, the Subcommittee discussed actions needed to correct deficiencies within VA's overly complicated hiring processes that hinder the VA's ability to efficiently and effectively recruit and retain high-quality employees and evaluate how staffing needs at the local level are identified and communicated. The Subcommittee also examined the recent media reports alleging that the $2.5 billion dollars that Congress provided to increase hiring of clinical personnel across the VA healthcare system did not result in its intent.

"Following the passage of H.R. 1367 last week, which I was proud to support, my colleagues on the committee and I thought it prudent to further examine this issue that has hampered the VA's ability to provide quality and timely services to our veterans," stated Amata. "As we move forward, we must make sure that the VA has not only the ability to fire underperforming employees, or those guilty of other infractions; but also that they can attract and retain qualified and committed workers to help serve our nation's heroes," continued the Congresswoman.

# # #