Paralyzed Veterans of America recently announced Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, as recipient of its 2016 Gordon H. Mansfield Congressional Leadership Award.
According to a press release from Paralyzed Veterans of America, Miller has led efforts to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He has worked to expand access to health care services for veterans and to update the Choice program to improve veterans’ health care options. He also has worked to improve accountability for many VA senior executives.
“Chairman Miller has elevated reform of the VA, particularly the health care system, to a level never considered by Congress in the past,” Al Kovach Jr., national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America, said in the press release. “He has consistently worked to ensure that veterans can get timely access to high quality health care in the most appropriate setting. He has also advocated for strong accountability for those employees, particularly at the senior executive level, who have jeopardized the delivery of health care and benefits services to veterans.”
The Gordon H. Mansfield Congressional Leadership Award is named for the late Gordon Mansfield, former acting secretary of the VA and former executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America. Mansfield also served as assistant secretary for congressional and legislative affairs for the VA and the first executive director of government relations for Paralyzed Veterans of America. He also was a combat-injured Vietnam veteran who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
“I want to thank Paralyzed Veterans of America for this honor as well as its exceptional advocacy for America’s veterans,” Miller said in response to the announcement. “[Paralyzed Veterans of America] PVA’s advice and counsel to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs has been vitally important in our efforts to improve veteran experiences and increase accountability and efficiency at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I am looking forward to continuing our partnership with PVA in 2016 and beyond.”
Paralyzed Veterans of America will present the award to Miller during a private event on March 3, 2016.
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