so i just gave up. >>> i came to the v.a. phoenix during this time period and was told it was going to take six months for a therapy apointment and they could give me nothing for the depression or the anxiety for this period. that's funny, they filled me with pills for a long time until i needed them. the court system drained me mentally, physically and financially. i gave uprights to my son because i did not have the money or the resources to fight this krupt system. i could not believe that everything i fought for was being taken away. i went to see my primary care doctor at the v.a. because i had concern of a skin growth growing on my arm. this foreign doctor, who knew nothing about medicine, i knew far more than she did, never called me back for a follow up. during this time, i met a number of veterans who were able to help me out. one of these is my mentor, who has became a dear friend. he looked at the spot on my arm and said oh, it's cancer. i researched it through the gulf war web site and discovered that the immunizat

they're complaining about the v.a. and they're helping them for the v.a. i had a bad experience with them. when i heard her go into a room and tell the doctor, well, what do you want me to do to get rid of her? that pissed me off and i let her know about it. that is not right. that's all i've got to say. >> all right. thank you. >> hello. i'm dave. i'm a bit overwhelmed, kind of tired. more importantly, besides the bitch session, which i might have a couple bitches about, we need -- easy money in the -- in the things going in one ear and out the other. more importantly, with all the money they're putting into the v.a. and stuff, this is phoenix. we're a huge city. veterans made arizona what it is, and at this time there's no doubt in my military mind that there should be two shifts. instead of everyone living the luxurious life and going home at 4: 4:00. secondly patient advocate, as we've discussed a few times, should have like a patient advocate that can -- you can kind of communicate with. as a team player that we were taught so much in the military, som

>> reporter: the v.a. started the firing process for four officials, all accused of wrongdoing in their jobs including a top procurement officer for the v.a. in washington, d.c. the other three all head up v.a. health facilities and are related to poor treatment of veterans. the head of v.a.s in alabama, dublin, georgia and pittsburgh all in the process of being removed. that pittsburgh case, it's two years in the making. we reported back in 2012 about an outbreak at that hospital that was covered up. five veterans died. only now is that administrator being let go even though she's been on paid leave since june. >> pretty shocking stuff. what about the hospital in phoenix, arizona, the leadership there? is the v.a. taking action there? you did a lot of reporting on what was going on in phoenix. >> reporter: that was the epicenter of the scandal when it broke, the secret wait list. sharon helman was the director. she's been removed. she's been on leave since the time we reported on that wait list. they're tr

when the secretary of the v.a. ed palo alto here in the bay area earlier this summer, he admitted to us that there is a problem with a serious backlog of dental cases here. as for the doctor, she tells us they are now looking into the cause of these delays, and she promises she'll make any changes as needed. we will keep following this story. i'm stephen stock, nbc bay area news. >> and if you have a story for us, call our tip line, 888-996-tips, or send an e-mail to the unit@nbcbayarea.com. >>> and for more than 200 injured veterans and their supporters, they hit the road today for a week-long bike ride along the california coast. take a look at the sea of riders here decked out in red, white and blue. started this morning at the palo alto v.a. hospital. now here they are in san jose for a much needed rest stop. you know how hot it was today. you can imagine how thirst city they got. they will pedal about another 400 miles until they reach the v.a. hospital in west los angeles next weekend. all while raising money

s overall, and the v.a., veterans administration, i.g. articular, are under fire over questions of how independent they are. whether they actually have the tools and more importantly, the -- i guess the motive -- whether they have the interest in being the independent watchdog. in this case you have a situation where you have the v.a. i.g.'s under fire because they will not go so far as to say, conclude, the deaths at the phoenix v.a. happened because of that botched care. even though the whistleblower says that the botched care and wait list led to death. the i.g. won't go that far, and now you have the fact that the i.g. knew as far back as 2008 about the wait times. you know, there's something about i.g.'s, and we see this with the irs i.g. and a number of other i.g.'s. when they issue a critical report like this, they regularly go back and they check. they say did you work on a recommendation? have you solved the problem? six years later we find out that the problem still exists at the phoenix v.a. facility. that's the real question he

not long after the v.a. scandal story broke in my hometown of phoenix, exposing widespread mismanagement of veteran care on the part of the v.a., i first traveled down to tijuana to visits marine sergeant andrew tahmooressi in prison. i had been following his story, how he observed with distinction in the marine corps on the battlefields of afghanistan, returning home to the united states with physical and psychological scars of war. he made his way to southern california, where he was diagnosed with ptsd, living mostly out of his truck where he carried all of his belongings, including his three registered guns. how he got turned around and found himself at the mexican border, where it is illegal to have guns. by the time i visited andrew in may and again in june, with chairman royce, he had been through a lot. he attempted to escape and take his own life. haunted by the hypervigilance that is a hallmark of his ptsd. even so, he was polite, soft-spoken, a brave american who had defended this country and now n

the moves are the first since congress passed a law making it easier for the v.a. spected of wrongdoing. >>> systamsung is reporting a massive 60% drop in profits from just a year ago, results far worse than expected. the tech company has been losing its mobile war against apple as well as upstart smart phone makers in china. >>> singing in public is you have to, singing in public while on ice skates is tougher. singing on public while on ice skates and dodge a patch of carpet might not be as hard as you think. here's jeanne moos. >> mark donnelly was doing what he always does, singing canada's national anthem at a hockey game. ♪ oh, canada -- >> when he found himself skating on thin carpet. true to his nickname, mr. "oh canada" mark september singing, leading some to sing his praises, a lesson in showmanship. >> the carpets were supposed to be up by the time i skarted skating around. >> did it hurt? >> i landed pretty hard on my left knee. >> but nothing a little extra strength pain reliever and icing couldn't cure, though he had to skip his own hockey league game,

we can reform the v.a. that me tell you something. i have marching orders from the people of arkansas. what they tell me is that when it comes to honoring the commitments we made to our veterans, that is nonnegotiable. that is what i will do. the first bill i ever passed in the senate, the first year i was there, dealt with men and women in uniform. so far i have had to 13 pieces of legislation to help our veterans and to help our military personnel. i put that record up against anybody. as soon as i heard about the terrible scandal out in arizona, i picked up the phone and set up meetings with the little rock fee eight and the fayetteville v.a. i wanted to make sure those same things were not happening here. congressman cotton seems to think that the hard work is done when the press conference is over. the hard work is just beginning. does not doryor much hard work in the senate. that is what veterans did while overseas. my dad was an infantry man in vietnam. he walked point for the fourth infantry division. i think about him when vet

nearest the v.a. format we just passed was a step in the right direction but nowhere near what we need to do. they should be able go to any hospital any time. >> mr. tarpley? >> well, i think we need to hold accountable those in the veterans administration who have failed our vet reasons. we need to make sure that veterans are getting the care they deserve to receive and as quickly as possible. it each inexcusable that they would have to wait in line months to get an appointment and furthermore inexcusable that there was a fraud in the healthcare system, where they were keeping the duplicate set of books out in arizona on veterans that were waiting in line and getting seen by physicians. we need to be effective in holding people accountable in the v.a. system. >> thank you, mr. tarpley. >> dr. afl abraham, your thoughts on the current status of services provided by our veterans. >> well, as a veteran and a physician, let me tell you. what's happening with our veteranses a moral travesty and tragedy. it

the same idea. it is silliness, and it is a waste of time especially for a v.a. ce like the one in philadelphia. gerri: but, caleb, it's not just silly, it's also sort of tragic. remember, the v.a., the veterans administration, is the organization that has some 200, 243,000 claims pending for our veterans to get care. those claims pending 125 days or more. it seems to me that the v.a. has more important things to think about than whether kids are getting candy or not. >> exactly. and it shows an, you know, inappropriate prioritization at the v.a. and while this is something very small, probably took a very short amount of time for them to send out this memo, it shows politics. it shows that they're seeking out ways to advance mrs. obama's get fit plan, and it is an inappropriate thing to be distributing at a time where the philadelphia v.a. office, as you mentioned earlier, is at the center of the scandal that exploded earlier this year. and it is quite tragic. gerri: it is sad and disturbing. unbelievable. caleb thanks for talking to us about the topic. appreciat

the v.a. reform act we just passed was a step in the right direction but nowhere near as far as we need to go. we need to make sure veterans can go to any hospital anywhere, any time to get the care they need. >> your plan for improving services for veterans. >> we need to hold accountable those in the veterans administration who have ailed our veterans. we need to make sure veterans are getting the care they deserve to receive and as quickly as possible. it is inexcusable they would have to wait in line months to get an appointment, and it is thatermore inexcusable there was fraud in the health care system where they were keeping a duplicate set of books on veterans that were waiting in line and getting seen by physicians. we need to be effective in holding people accountable in the v.a. system. >> dr. abraham, your thoughts on the current status of services provided to veterans. >> as a veteran and physician, let me tell you what is happening to our veterans is a moral and ethical travesty an

we've also given $10 million to the v.a. system to contract outside of the system so the veterans will be able to get access to medicare and health care -- to medical care and health care in their communities. it is not just talk, but action. >> martha mcsally, same question for you. what can we do? >> for those who raise their right hand to serve, like i did, we have a covenant with them that they are going to put their lives on the line to protect us and we are going to make sure we take care of them. what has happened at the v.a. is an absolute dereliction of duty at the national level. people, i get my care from the southern arizona v.a. health system. when you get in there, you get great care from the providers, but it is cumbersome and challenging and the system is one that is allowing senior executives to benefit while veterans are struggling. mr. barber was serving in congress for three years while this was happening on his watch, and he was at a speech on memorial day saying he has known there have been systemic prob

the v.a., and he says the white house as well? to shut me up and trying to silence me from discussing the fact that 47,000 veterans died while waiting to get their health care applications processed and that 890,000 veteran applications for health care have never been processed by the department of veterans affairs. what they tried to do is say, well, mr. davis, we're going to have an investigation. you have to participate in our investigation. unfortunately, this came after i had already spoke with the inspector general's office, after i had already contacted the white house. by the way, that white house whistle blower complaint got leaked to my supervisor. and after i took the fight before congress. so i've testified before congress and public and now they're telling me, you can't talk to people anymore because we're having an investigation. i as a united states citizen have the right to petition the government. >> he was very well-spoken. we understand and sympathize with his views. this is blowing up on our facebook. alice wri

. >> what has happened with the v.a. system is a tragedy. to think of the men and women who have made the sacrifices for a country have to wait in line and die in line waiting on health care is a real tragedy to our system. this is a clear example of the dysfunctionality of the united states government and our ineptitude at managing the system. what i will do to improve is hold the people responsible accountable for their mistakes and if we need to start firing people from the top down, let's do it. tomr. dasher, your plan help? >> i would like to thank our veterans for our cert -- their service and sacrifice. i think they deserve better than what they are getting. i think they deserve the same quality of health care. what a we take our tax dollars and buy our veterans a private policy, the same type of policy i have that increases access to so they don'td have to die in waiting rooms? holloway, your plan? >> i was in congress 21 years ago. my plan was that they should have a card that goes into the hospital that they went to. veteran should

seems business as usual with the v.a. where they protect the executive and do not make things better for veterans that need the care. >> v.a. is a big issue, but compensation in the military is a big issue. talk about that. >> absolutely. military pay has been frozen at 1% increase for 2014. the proposal is to take it up to 2017. that puts it at 1.8% less than what the average federal worker will be. meaning military workers cannot keep up with the cost of living. the military, including our guard and reserves. 25% of them are on food stamps. it is hitting their pocket books that they are not able to keep up with the cost of living or the economy. >> there are other cuts in benefits. >> yes, there's proposals of 60% increase and cost at the commizaries. they are looking at out of packet expenses for the houseing, and proposals for tricare, allowances for coe pay costs to go up. they are looking at a sergeant, an e 5, and an o 3 captain having to pay $5,000 out of the pocket. they'll lose $5,000 between the pay, allowances

we can reform the v.a. and let me tell you something. i have marching orders from the people of arkansas. what they tell me is that when it comes to honoring the commitments we made to our veterans, that is nonnegotiable. that is what i will do. the first bill i ever passed in the senate, the first year i was there, dealt with men and women in uniform. so far i have had to 13 pieces of legislation to help our veterans and to help our military personnel. put that record up against i wouldput that record up against anybody. as soon as i heard about the terrible scandal out in arizona, i picked up the phone and set up meetings with the little rock v.a. and the fayetteville v.a. i wanted to make sure those same things were not happening here. congressman cotton seems to think that the hard work is done when the press conference is over. the hard work is just beginning. >> mr. cotton? >> senator pryor does not do much hard work in the senate. that is what veterans did while overseas. that is why we have to care for them. my dad was an infantry

among those being fired is the director of the v.a. hospital in pittsburgh. hese dismissals are the first since it makes it easier for veterans to get care outside the v.a. >>> the justices rejected the appeals from states this decision will clear the way for gay cup tools marry in 30 states. opponents of same-sex marriage say they're disappointed and hope the adjustses pick up the issue and more states permit same-sex marriage it will be harder for the court to put a stop to them. >>> the engraving gone wrong that left the wrong message at a local library. we'll tell you what that now means. >>> and reaching new heights in the city of love. harris best-known attraction gets anned a vench erous makeover. >>> how would you like to wake up to the sound of your favorite nbc 10 personality? download the nbc 10 morning app to your smartphone. a live stream of our morning newscast and set your alarm to wake up to the cheerful sound of the voice of one of us. it's everything you need to start your day off right. >>> new this morning, hard to get into the shopping spi

so a handful of people blamed in the v.a. dal now losing their jobs after congress gave the agency more power to fire people. is that what's really happening in this case? and why haven't more people been let go? >>> plus, the world on high alert over ebola, but health officials warning there is another more common illness we should really be worried about right now. >>> and, sure, it's a fixer-upper, but the guy who owns this home, now, get this, he is willing to trade this home for an electronic device that costs a few hundred bucks. what he wants and how you can get your hands on that house. i'll tell you how in a moment. >>> time to check on what americans are looking like today. even in the drive-thru lane? really? the average drive-thru wait time is now at least, what do you think it is? three and a half minutes. a record high. that makes it kind of not really fast food anymore, right? >>> well, the second blood moon of the year set to light up the night sky. it's going happen early tomorrow. a blood moon occurs when the

the latest headlines are that v.a. posing actions against inappropriate behavior and why reporting matters. we have seen the track record with the v.a. where they say they are taking action against somebody and find out that that very person announced his or her retirement or resignation weeks or months before that. >> or is getting a bonus. >> which happened at the hospital in pittsburgh. >> it is sickening. >> that official on top of everything was allowed to retire with a hefty severance package. seems like the same thing is happening now. v.a. confirmed one of the four officials proposed removing him on september 25. on september 26 he retired. the v.a. told us again that he will be allowed to retire but that does not preclude government action. here you go again. you have these headlines where you are saying we are taking action and holding people accountable but do a little bit of digging and dig deeper and find out that that is not always the case. i want to mention that one of the key provisions of that new v.a.

many things the v.a. does. also things the v.a. can't do.have a nice partnership here in phoenix with many of our stake holders. want to thank them for their support. today was an example we were briefing our delegation and the office was showing us a wonderful veterans resource guide that they have done to list all of the benefits that are available for veterans. those that are offered by the v.a., offer the by the state, offered by the city and other nonprofits. a nice resource that you should ask for. we also invited folks from the other parts of the v.a. here. i believe we have folks from the benefits office. so the young lady in the back, if you have any benefits questions, we'll be having her try to address them either as a group response or individually if you have those kinds of questions. and also national cemetery administration or service for those that honor veterans upon their death. anybody hear from that group? we thought we'd have them here. any questions, we have the administration to work with. i wanted to give you an updat

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... it was senator warner who got the rule changed. he's forcing the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. >>> now the wusa9 restaurant alert. i'm investigative reporter russ ptacek. to track inspecks text foods to 25543 -- inspections text foods to 25543 for a restaurant alert. best world supermarket on market street cited 11 violations including produce rotten, live rats, cockroaches, fruit flies and mouse droppings. it passed reinspection and is back in business. to search your favorite restaurant, text food to 25543. we'll send you a link to the restaurant alert. >>> traffic around here may drive you crazy but there is indeed a little relief when it comes to gas prices. some stations in town are dropping

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... it was senator warner who got the rule changed. he's forcing the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. >>> now, wusa9 game on sports with kristen berset. brought to you by exfinty. >> the hashtag, no means no will be associated with last night's cowboys redskins game. if you don't know what i'm referring to, you can see the video on our website. redskins and their fans are doing a colt jolt. the third string quarterback led the burgundy and gold to an exciting upset. but this was more of a team effort. the defense steps up, a season high five games and that's without him finishing the game as the most for romo in 42 games. plenty of celebrating in the skins lockerroom. afterwards, a lot to be proud of. >

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... it was senator warner who got the rule changed. he's forcing the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. >>> now the wusa 9 restaurant alert. in this closure, a yogurt and smoothie shop shut down with serious health code violations. i'm russ ptacek. text food to to track other restaurants. closed on september 18th, among nine violations including flies were observed under a sink and drains. they passed inspection and are back in business. text food to 25543. >> text radar to 25543 and download the wusa 9 weather app. >> the text radar message is yellow because there's going to be a weather alert coming in here. >> yellow alert tomorrow primarily for the afternoon. then yellow alert on wednesday primarily f

[laughter] remember the v.a. scandal? the biggest part of the v.a. andal is even when we caught them making up waiting list when people could have died on the waiting list, no one was fired. anybody remember line 11? anybody were -- 911? anybody remember anyone being fired over 911? we have spent trillions upon trillions of dollars trying to be safer. saferor making the nation . but we have done ridiculous things. with bank $8 million in fargo last year. terroristsle, if the get to fargo, we might as well surrender. we give equipment to our local police forces. mine resistant ambush protected vehicles that weigh tape -- that weigh 20 tons. of allan investigation of the forces used in ferguson and we said, where's this equipment coming from? and they said, if the military. there is a surplus. they found out that one third of it is new. does this mean that we are buying stuff and giving it away to police forces that have no business having 2010 vehicles? 10 -- dundee, michigan, has a mine resistant 2010 vehicle in a town of 3000. vehicle in a town of 30

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... it was senator warner who got the rule changed. he's forcing the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. hey, jennar fuzz mike trooawwwwww scram!g... i'm crust mike jubby roll bond chow gonna lean up an kiss bet. peas charty get town down. [laughter] ♪ borf a liver tute face stummy wag ♪ pow pam sha-beeps stella nerf berms. saxa-nay nay? badumps a head. temexiss gurrin. juppa left. fluppa jown! brone a brood. what? catch up on what everyone's talking about with the x1 entertainment operating system. preloaded with the latest episodes of the top 100 shows. only from xfinity. ♪ i thought it'd be bigger. ♪ ♪ (dad) there's nothing i can't reach in my subaru. (vo) introducing the all-new subaru outback. love. i

facilities, because despite the problems at the v.a., the v.a. does have the ability to that there are specialized treatments, for example, for ptsd victims and so i think it's a step in the right direction but it's a problem that we need to continue to work on and expand on, going forward, so that our veterans get the specialized need.hey >> this is a very specific question from the audience. we begin with candidate campbell. withu support -- we begin candidate belgard. >> i think i mentioned earlier, that would raise the minimum wage. i think this is an issue that is long overdue in this country. earlier, there are about two-thirds of the right nowminimum wage who are women. these are folks who are trying forut food on the table their families, get their kids out to school in the morning, trying to make a fair wage for families. and, you know, there are other benefits to it. like i mentioned earlier, raising the minimum wage alone shortfall inthe social security by a third. but right now, we have a isn't even willing to address this issue. so a

this election is a moment of accountability, not just at the v.a., but all across the federal government. and every part of america, people have deep worries about national security and border security. all this when so many are still worried about jobs and economic security. yet we are asked to believe this is the best america can do. i don't believe it. i don't accept that defeatist attitude for one moment, and neither should you. we can secure our border. we can maintain military superiority that no rival will dare to question. we can restore this great country's leadership in the world. and everything rides on our success. as you know, the president recently said he is not on the ballot, but his entire agenda is. i agree with him. that's your invitation to send a clear message to the establishment in washington. elect republicans to the house and senate, and we will bring that big government agenda to an end, and we will set this country to a better path. this is scott brown and new hampshire. thank you for listening. >> c-span's campaign 2014 coverage continues this evening live fro

not long after the v.a. scandal story broke in my hometown of , exposing widespread mismanagement of veteran care on the part of the v.a., i first traveled down to tijuana to visit sergeant tim received in prison. i had been following his story, how he observed with distinction in the marine corps on the battlefields of afghanistan, returning home to the united states with physical and psychological scars of war. he made his way to southern california where he was diagnosed with ptsd, living mostly out of his truck where he carried all of his belongings, including his three registered guns. have you got turned around and found himself at the mexican border where it is illegal to have guns. by the time i visited andrew in may and again in june, with chairman royce, he had been through a lot. he attempted to escape and take his own life. so, he was polite, soft-spoken, a brave american who had defended this country and now needed our help to return home. here is an interesting anecdote. on my way back to visiti

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... i was senator warner who got the rule changed.ng the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. >>> now wusa9 game on sports with kristen berset brought to you by xfinity. >> the quarterback carousel continues in ashburn. the kirk cousins experiment lasted five weeks, but yesterday that came to an end as the third year quarterback was benched for the redskins third stringer. now it's colt mccoy's turn. coach jay gruden said mccoy will get the starter's reps this week in practice as they prepare for monday night football against the division leading cowboys, but he's not ruling out robert griffin, iii who was cleared to practice this week. >> i can't rule him out, but he still has a long way to go. i wouldn't

i will continue to work with the fayetteville v.a. and our veterans affairs committee and all of those involved. one of the other things we have to do for our veterans is making sure they have a job when they come home. i am proud to say this has been the third annual veterans job fair, we have been able to hold for that purpose. we want to make sure their lives are full and whole. i want to go back to one of the comments mr. aiken made. it is almost as if an entertainer, you believe that you can just go in with a song and dance and change the minds of our military leaders because you are going to impress them so much and the pink slips will be torn up and thrown into the air and everyone will rejoice. that is not the way it is. there are cuts and it started when president obama's budget and our department of defense put forward initiatives. our military believes we have the best and most capable regardless of what basis. when they make changes like this because of the funding, they see it as a necessity. i disagree respectfully. i thi

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... it was senator warner who got the rule changed. he's forcing the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. ♪ ♪ you might have noticed things are looking pretty good at southwest. our dazzling smiles. our incredible good looks. our new ride. and some shiny, new nonstops ready for takeoff. you're going to need more reasons to travel. because flying new nonstops on southwest is looking pretty good. book your low fare now at southwest.com ♪ ♪ on gun safety, larry hogan isn't being straight. after filling out their questionaire, hogan was awarded an a- from the nra. but now he refuses to release his responses. the nra opposes comprehensive background checks. they want to weaken maryland's gun safety laws. even su

the v.a. has been plagued by mismanagement and problems across hospitals across the nation. what reforms would you recommend that would work to adequately serve veterans? >> we have a new leader from arlington heights. he is excess has full -- he is a successful businessman. 45% of veterans who served in iraq and afghan dan and afghanistan -- and afghanistan. you add to that those who were exposed to agent orange, gulf war syndrome and bringing those folks that have ptsd in previous conflicts in for help. we have to do better. far away from the v.a. facility, you can go to a hospital near you and bill them. that is a temporary approach. the v.a. has a new challenge. we have the keep our promise to veterans. we said to them if you risk your life for america, we will stand by you when you come home. i believe our veterans have risked their lives, we owed them a great debt of gratitude. he said the hand, v.a. hospitals were an example of how our health care system should be operated. that was before the scandal came out and we found out people were falsifying records. now, he t

i think this needs a fresh view like the v.a. d an independent review. >> dan, you talked about a cabal at the top, a mutiny of agency. >> there's a small group of management that group up together, let's say, and the problem is they are married to the way things used to be done. the threat footprint has changed. world has evolved. almost that they've used the secret service -- and there are good managers there, but almost like a job search service for their secondary careers. the problem is the rank-and-file agents feel the allegiance is not to them, but somebody who the dhs secretary, say, that they could go into business later on, and it's created distrust. >> i want to pick that up and bring sonar ayotte into it. a number of people say one of the key turning points was in 2003 when the secret service was moved from elite agent inside the treasury department to the department of homeland security where it's one in a number of fife doms. the question is how big a problem is that, that it's now in a different agencies, and a numb

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... it was senator warner who got the rule changed.ing the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. >>> a fully involved house fire in fresno, california. witnesses saw a woman run out of the house with her baby grandson, but her father didn't follow them out and was still inside attached to the oxygen tank he depends onto breathe. equipment had yet to arrive on the scene when a good samaritan braved the flames and smoke and rescued the man in a modified fireman's carry. tonight, they are looking for that man to thank him because following the rescue he disappeared back into the crowd. >>> supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg who for a long time was the only woman on the supreme court, says she's often ask

the v.a. eered and the error reducing bar code software that ensures the correct medications correct dosage administered to the correct patient. all of this is carried out in veteransedge that disabled in service to our country are at the heart of v.a.'s mission. have given more to america and here in the shadow of the capital, this symposium memorial stands as a powerful of their service and their sacrifice. at v.a., we are reminded every single day of their outsochid contributions to our country -- to oured contributions country and it is our pride and privilege to claim the honor of borne for those who have the battle. inspiring mission in all of government. thank you. and may god bless us all. [applause] mr. secretary. also with us today to share insights are two disabled veterans, both of whom have devoted countless hours to memorial.on of this the first speaker is dennis joiner, a director and secretary of the disabled veterans life wasrial foundation who awarded the bronze star and for h

the v.a. the government learn its lesson from the lois lerner scandal? claiming the agency deleted thousands of text messages and they can not be recovered from the epa. this news in response to a request for those messages by a conservative think tank. it claims that they're using text messaging instead of e-mails to have off the record conversations. >>> and your e-mails are pouring in on this story this morning. ben hall could have given alexis a ticket. a michigan police officer pulls over this mother because her five-year-old daughter wasn't riding in the booster seat in the back seat. but after learning that she couldn't afford that seat, he bought her a $50 booster seat with his own money. they joined us earlier on "fox & friends". >> to change even just a little bit this family's life or lives, i felt that i was in that position to do it and i went ahead and did what i did. >> i'm grateful. i didn't really know what to say. i was at a loss for words. >> so i'm going to hand it over to

>> we have a new leader in the v.a. from arlington heights, a successful businessman. e fundamental problem, 45% of veterans who served in iraq and afghanistan have come home with disability claims, double the number we usually see in conflicts. add to that those who were exposed to agent orange, gulf war syndrome, and the folks who have ptsd from previous conflicts. we found the v.a. was overwhelmed. we have got to do better. we joined on a bipartisan basis to say, if you are too far away from ava facility you can go to a hospital near you and bill the v.a., and that is at least a temporary approach to solving the problem. but whether we are talking about illinois or across the nation, the v.a. has a new challenge. we have to keep our promise to veterans. if you risk your life for america, when you, we will -- when you come home we will stand by you. >> mr. oberweis? >> are veterans risked their lives. we owed them a deep debt of gratitude. mr. durbin said just two years ago that the v.a. hospitals are an example of how we should be operating. that was before the scand

the v.a. scandal under president is unconscionable. big picture, it's another mismanaged this administration really is. important thing in making sure veterans get the care they need, it's number one. it shouldn't matter if it's in a v.a. facility or not. republicans were proud to important the bipartisan veterans access to choice,ough accountability and transparency of 2014. it gives veterans the ability to me,care from one, excuse from nonv.a. facilities when havelive too far away or waited too long. republicans have proposed such suchres even measures even before the v.a. scandal made national headlines. other scandals and issues have knocked the v.a. out of the news for now. but that doesn't mean everything is fixed. we need leaders who will defeat terrorism, not manage it. acteed leaders who will decisively, not downplay the threat, as, quote, j.v. we need leaders mo will take responsibility, not blame the community.e this is no time to weaken our military. strengthen ouro military. we can eliminate waste and pentagon.y inside the

when the v.a. refused to treat women with ptsd... it was senator warner who got the rule changed.forcing the v.a. to bring new technology to reduce... wait times for vets like me. when military families were forced to live in toxic housing mark warner got it fixed. he even came back down to check on us. i'm mark warner and i approve this message because... whether it's military housing or veterans' healthcare... we've got to get it right. and i won't stop working until we do. in the clear. the quarantine period for 48 people who had contact with dallas ebola victim thomas eric duncan has come to an end and none of them have symptoms z a turning point for ebola in this country? >>> nazi war criminals paid millions in social security by the u.s. government. some of them alive and collecting today. the loopholes that allows your tax dollars to go to men behind one of the biggest atrocities. >>> is it hannah? investigators scouring the scene where a body was found. autopsy results expected as early as

he gives veterans the ability to get care from non-v.a. facilities when they live too far away or they have waited too long. republicans have proposed such measures even before the scandal made national headlines. other scandals and issues have not the v.a. out of the news for now. that doesn't mean everything is fixed. republicans will be vigilant to make sure the v.a. gets its act together and no one who risks their life or our country dies waiting to see a doctor. we have to keep our word to our veterans, both because it is a moral obligation and because the service of our armed forces is critical to our national security. that brings us to principle number six. keeping america safe and strong wires a strong military, growing our economy, energy independence, and securing our borders. the federal government has no greater responsibility than keeping us safe. if you're not safe, if your family and kids aren't secure, nothing else matters. with ices we face an enemy who wants americans dead and our way of life destroyed. we need leaders wh

from the v.a. scandal to the irs go to the irs the intelligence scandals that made the growth of isis seem like a surprise. given all that, how much faith should the american people have in their government? >> i think as i have said, we need to restore the faith shaken the unwillingness of the congress of the united states and republican leadership of the house to consider the issues that the american people feel are important and by pulling them overwhelmingly support. i think if the congress were working, the trust level would be substantially heightened. we have some real challenges. when things do not work correctly, the democrats came out very strongly with reference to the v.a. issues. with respect to the altering of statistics in terms of veterans waiting times. all of us were very angry about that. the president has put in a new leader who is making very substantial reforms to make it work as well. which means making sure they have access to the health care system in a timely basis, which p

not long after the v.a. scandal my hometown of phoenix, exposing widespread of veteran care of the va, i travel tijuana, to visit sgt. tahmooressi in prison. returning home to the united the es after being on battlefield in afghanistan, he had the physical and psychological scars of war. he made his way to southern california where he was diagnosed with ptsd. he lived his truck where he kept most of his belongings including his registered gun. the mexican way to border where it is illegal to the time i by -- andrew, dro hit been through a lot. here take his own and life. even though he was polite soft-spoken, a brave who defended his now to , heated our help return home. that the obama s administration had negotiated the the taliban for release of sgt. bergdorf. struck me that sgt. served his had country twice with honor and now found himself in a mexican being turned around while crossing the border. i am mystified that pres. obama time between d negotiating with terrorists, to call our ally to appeal to him

but the problem is the v.a. i would suspect most people think. we don't need them to be given a five-day notice that they're going to be fired because that gives them the chance to retire with their full benefits. >> it's missing the whole point. we're trying to stop future action. you got to scare people straight for lack of a better term. terry gehrig wolf is director of the pittsburgh va health care center. she's been on paid leave since june over a contract conduct during the 2011 disease outbreak. so she was already on hold. >> the problem there is you have people that actually died on her watch. it was found in the system. this has been going on for well over two years and just now they're holding her accountable. >> james holton, director of central alabama, the v.a., lied to a member of congress during the investigation, has seven days to appeal the firing. so there you go. four people fired, so is the thing fixed? is there any evidence that things are getting on track? >> i will tell you this, secretary

he learned about the irs and fast and furious from the media jay carnes said he learned about the v.a the media got caught with this whole thing unaware about the speed of isis. >> if you you talk to people, greta, who are not going to be natural critics of president. independence or democrats who supported him hoping his presidency would be a success. their disappointment comes not so much from what he did or stimulus or dodd frank or obamacare, it's not what he didn't know how to do. why didn't know who he to make this friends in congress. why didn't he know couldn't be closed in a year healthcare. why states wouldn't set up exchanges. why isis a major threat and we didn't know? >> there is also a sense of not taking -- not only taking a leadership role but not taking a responsibility role. the isis thing is a perfect example of claiming he didn't know intel was behind the curve, not the president. all presidents have trouble in second terms. it's not easy. not able to set the agenda. this president has had this series dating back to the rollout of obamacare, the problems at the v.a