Deal Reached on VA Overhaul

House and Senate negotiators will unveil a $15 billion package for the Department of Veterans Affairs to overhaul its health care services for ex-soldiers, Roll Call reports.

The plan would pump $5 billion into the VA for its officials to improve health care services offered directly to veterans. It would put another $10 billion toward providing care for veterans at private practices, provided they are at least 40 miles from a VA facility or experiencing a severe delay in receiving care.

Louis Celli, the American Legion's legislative affairs director, joined C-SPAN's Washington Journal this past Sunday to talk about the veterans' group's expectations for improvement from the VA, which has faced criticism for its handling and prioritizing of veteran health care cases.

Other organization leaders told lawmakers last week about their ongoing concerns regarding the VA's leadership and bureaucracy.

The pending announcement follows a dramatic week in negotiations. House Republicans were joined by just one Democrat at one conference committee meeting called by House Veterans' Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL), while Senate Veterans' Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Democrats in the chamber complained House negotiators were too focused on the legislation's cost.