McCain ‘a little disappointed’ with new VA chief

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he is “somewhat disappointed” by the job Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald has done since taking over the troubled agency earlier this year.

“I’m hopeful, but I’m a little bit disappointed so far — somewhat disappointed,” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.

{mosads}McCain, a Vietnam veteran, knocked McDonald for not firing the executives who oversaw the Phoenix hospital that came under fire for long patient wait times.

In May, a VA inspector general examination of the Phoenix hospital found that patients had waited an average of 115 days for an initial doctor’s appointment, while official data claimed the wait time was only 24 days. The investigation also showed 1,700 veterans who had been intentionally kept off official patient rolls.

The findings were just one in a series of revelations that led to former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki’s resignation. President Obama tapped McDonald, a former Proctor & Gamble executive, to shake up the culture at the agency.

McCain’s comments come one day after McDonald unveiled what he touted at the largest restructure in the VA’s history, designed to make the agency more nimble and allow veterans to navigate the department more easily.

However, the announcement made no mention of new firings. A bipartisan law passed by Congress this summer gave the VA chief new latitude to dismiss executives and managers, pending an appeals process.

McDonald said the agency is moving to take action against around 35 people and that about 1,000 employees could be disciplined soon.

“I hope that’s the case,” McCain said.

He called McDonald “well credentialed” and noted that he supported his nomination.

“Maybe we’re a little too impatient,” McCain said. But “given all of the terrible things that happened” during the scandal over wait times lawmakers want to see more action.

“I can’t think of a more shameful chapter in America than letting our veterans die,” he said. “I’m gonna work with him. I want to do everything I can to help … but so far … the word is impatient.”