Veterans Issues

Washington, D.C. — Representatives Tim Murphy [PA-18] and Keith Rothfus [PA-12] today called on Eric Shinseki, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to rescind both the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award and the $62,895 bonus paid to VISN-4 Director Michael Moreland. The award was presented to Moreland just days after the VA Office of Inspector General released a scathing report highlighting major failures at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) that led to a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease.

Washington, D.C. — Members of Congress representing the greater Pittsburgh region issued the following joint statement today calling on the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) to put in place new written guidelines outlining duties and responsibilities for infection control. The announcement by Reps. Mike Doyle, Tim Murphy and Keith Rothfus comes after an hour-long, closed-door meeting with Michael Moreland, Director of the Pittsburgh-based VISN 4, and Terry Gerigk Wolf, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System about the Inspector General’s review of the Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak that resulted in the deaths of five veterans. With the IG report now released, the Congressmen discussed the critical need to ensure effective policies and procedures are in place to prevent an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease from ever happening again.