WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, spoke on the Senate floor Thursday on the importance of accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sen. Johnson is the lead co-sponsor of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability Act of 2015, introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), which gives the VA secretary expedited firing authority over any VA employee guilty of misconduct. The bill would hold those who are employed to provide health care to the finest among us accountable for their actions, Johnson said. Although the vast majority of those dedicated providers are doing a great job for the nation’s veterans, he said, “It’s not a perfect system – not by a long shot.”

“To date, no VA employee at the Tomah, Wisconsin, VA Medical Center has been held accountable by being fired, even after multiple deaths caused by the overprescription of opiates,” Johnson said. “The only way we can honor the promises to our veterans at VA medical centers nationwide is by holding individuals accountable.”

Johnson ended his floor speech by urging his colleagues to support the bill. “This type of accountability is absolutely necessary,” he said. Watch the senator’s full remarks here.