Deal on scandal-plagued VA seen coming Monday
A key senator and congressman are expected on Monday to announce a deal to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs, which has been plagued with allegations of corruption and possible criminal wrongdoing.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the co-chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Conference Committee, have reached a deal that they hope will help to reform the second federal agency, according to a House aide who spoke with CNBC.
According to the draft agreement, $15 billion more in funding will be allocated to the VA, which has faced accusations of being understaffed, among other allegations.
CNBC has learned that the agreement includes the following:
Emergency funding to give veterans who can't get a medical appointment at the VA the option to receive non-VA care
More money to address VA's in-house needs
Authority for the VA secretary to immediately fire corrupt or incompetent senior executives, while providing employees with streamlined appeal rights
CNBC first reported on issues within the VA Healthcare System last August, culminating in a documentary "Death & Dishonor: Crisis at the VA," which was released on Veterans Day of last year.
-By CNBC's Dina Gusovsky
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