Jacqueline Klimas
Articles by Jacqueline Klimas
House calls for action as outcry for Shinseki resignation grows
Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico called for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign Thursday, becoming the first Senate Democrat not up for re-election this year to do so. Published May 29, 2014
VA officials have few answers for Congress on Phoenix scandal
Top VA officials told Congress on Wednesday that they initially thought the secret lists at the Phoenix VA hospital were part of an initiative to reschedule cancelled appointments, not a way to manipulate waiting times. Published May 28, 2014
IG report sparks Democratic calls for Shinseki to resign
Senate Democrats on Wednesday joined the growing chorus of veterans groups and lawmakers calling for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign. Published May 28, 2014
1,700 vets not on official wait list at Phoenix VA facility, preliminary report finds
Staff at the Phoenix VA hospital doctored their records, keeping hundreds of veterans off the official waiting lists and ensuring some would never get to see a doctor for treatment, according to a preliminary audit released Wednesday that confirms some of the worst accusations in the burgeoning scandal. Published May 28, 2014
Pentagon using change in diagnoses to hide sexual assault cases, critics charge
Lawmakers say they fear the Defense Department has found a new way to drum sexual assault victims out of the service: by diagnosing adjustment disorder and having them discharged from the military. Published May 26, 2014
Senate Democrats block bill to give Eric Shinseki more power to fire at Veterans Affairs
Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a bill designed to give Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki more leeway to fire senior department executives he believes are responsible for long wait times and care problems at VA medical facilities. Published May 22, 2014
Senate defense bill includes path to close Gitmo
Senators announced Thursday that they included a path to close Guantanamo Bay by transferring detainees to the U.S. in this year's annual defense policy bill. Published May 22, 2014
Some want ‘Chaos’ — retired Marine Corps. Gen. James Mattis — to lead VA
While most want to get rid of disorganization within the Veterans Affairs Department, some think the only way to fix the problem is to add a little more "Chaos." Published May 22, 2014
McConnell’s Dem challenger Grimes calls for Shinseki to resign
Alison Lundergan Grimes, who is running for Senate in Kentucky, called Thursday for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign, becoming the latest Democrat to join a growing chorus of GOP lawmakers saying a leadership change is in order. Published May 22, 2014
House vets committee approves subpoena for VA witnesses
The House Veterans Affairs Committee unanimously voted to subpoena three top VA officials after they failed to appear before the committee Thursday morning Published May 22, 2014
Washington Times event honors Capitol Hill’s veterans
Lawmakers who served in the military before running for Congress said Wednesday that veterans bring a unique perspective to Capitol Hill, helping make sure Washington never forgets the trials of military life and the needs of the troops. Published May 21, 2014
Bernie Sanders: ‘Quality of care at VA facilities is quite good’
The chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee defended the majority of VA facilities and caregivers on Wednesday afternoon following a meeting with the White House chief of staff on Capitol Hill. Published May 21, 2014
Lawmakers see data deficiency on college sex assaults
Parents should not trust data on sexual assaults at colleges because a low number of reports doesn't necessarily mean that violations aren't occurring, advocates for victims of sexual assault warned Monday. Published May 19, 2014
Chris Christie still considering run for president
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Sunday he is still considering running for president, and will make a decision "later." Published May 18, 2014
RNC Chair Reince Priebus doesn’t think Hillary Clinton will run for president in 2016
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said Sunday he doesn't think Hillary Clinton will run for president if she has another month like this one where her record on Benghazi, a possible lingering head injury and her husband's affair with Monica Lewinsky have all been publicly discussed. Published May 18, 2014
Obama’s past work for veterans doesn’t placate vets groups on Phoenix VA scandal
As veterans groups questioned why President Obama has been mostly silent on the waitlist scandal at a Phoenix medical center, a top administration aide said Sunday that the president is "madder than hell." Published May 18, 2014
Dick Cheney: U.S. seen as weak, untrustworthy around the world
Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday that the president's perceived weakness around the world has convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin that now is the time to try to piece some of the Soviet Union back together. Published May 18, 2014
Phoenix VA whistleblower: Let Shinseki stay
The whistleblower at a Phoenix Veteran's Affairs facility who exposed an alleged secret wait list said Sunday that the best way to fix the system is to keep Secretary Eric Shinseki onboard, even as many veterans groups are calling for his resignation. Published May 18, 2014
Robert Petzel resigns as Veterans Affairs undersecretary amid hospital scandal
A senior official in the Department of Veterans Affairs resigned Friday, just one day after lawmakers called for more accountability in the Phoenix VA wait list scandal. Published May 16, 2014
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is ‘mad as hell’ about allegations
Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said Thursday he is "mad as hell" about allegations that at least 40 veterans died while awaiting care on a secret list at the Phoenix VA facility. Published May 15, 2014
