On the heels of growing outrage over the alleged appalling mistreatment of our Veterans and a news conference in which President Obama called for accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Congressman Mike Rogers said “accountability starts at the top” and said the president has moved too slowly to get to the bottom of the scandal.

“The reports of our nation’s Veterans dying while waiting for care are appalling and unacceptable. President Obama has moved too slowly to get to the bottom of these disgraceful reports, and no amount of blame shifting or double talk will distract from the fact that the buck stops with him. Whether or not Secretary Shinseki steps aside, the ultimate responsibility is with the president to ensure the VA caring properly for our Veterans.”

Rogers made the comments on the heels of a pending vote in the House on a bill that would let the Secretary of Veterans Affairs fire employees of the Senior Executive Service who may be responsible for the appalling mistreatment of our Veterans.

“President Obama’s continued lack of leadership and decisive action on this scandal is inexcusable. Congress should pass this bill and the president should sign it, but it’s only the beginning of a need to bring greater accountability within our government and end the troubling pattern of blame shifting that has been the hallmark of this Administration,” Rogers said.

Rogers said the bill, H.R. 4031, the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act, also requires the Secretary to notify House and Senate Committees when an employee has been removed, a move that should help increase oversight into the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rogers was a cosponsor of the bill and urges its passage.