Senate passes bill to fix problems in the VA Department

HINES, IL - MAY 30: A sign marks the entrance to the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital on May 30, 2014 in Hines, Illinois. Hines, which is located in suburban Chicago, has been linked to allegations that administrators kept secret waiting lists at Veterans Administration hospitals so hospital executives could collect bonuses linked to meeting standards for rapid treatment. Today, as the scandal continued to grow, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki apologized in public and then resigned from his post. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

There's been a lot of discussion about the VA Department the past few weeks, with department secretary Eric Shinseki resigning over reports of the falsification of records and prolonged delays for veterans seeking medical care.

There's been a lot of discussion about the VA Department the past few weeks, with department secretary Eric Shinseki resigning over reports of the falsification of records and prolonged delays for veterans seeking medical care.

An audit released this week revealed that over 57,000 veterans were waiting three months or more for their initial appointment, among other major issues.

Congress has drafted bills that would address the wait times for medical services for current and former service members and ensure that veterans receive the healthcare they deserve. The bill has passed in both the House and as of yesterday, the Senate, in the hopes of improving the VA system as quickly as possible.

Burgess Everett, congressional reporter for POLITICO, wrote about this Senate bill and what it would to do help fix many of the wait time issues plaguing the department.