Washington, D.C. — Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin delivered a strong statement in support of Secretary of Veterans Affairs, retired General Eric Shinseki, on the House Floor yesterday.

The full text of his statement is below and the video can be accessed at www.faleomavaega.house.gov:

Mr. Speaker:

As a Vietnam veteran, I rise today to offer my strong support for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, my good friend, retired General Eric Shinseki.

Since taking over the VA, Secretary Shinseki has made Veterans a top priority —enrolling over 2 million new veterans from our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and reducing veteran homelessness by about 24%.

With new reports of cover-ups in VA facilities, the Secretary has also called for an independent review and nationwide audit, giving his word that he will do all he can to fix a system that was broken long before he took charge.

So let us stand together to do right by our veterans. General Shinseki is right for America’s veterans. He is a tried and proven leader, the highest ranked Asian American in the history of the United States, who told our nation the truth about Iraq when no one else would. He will tell us the truth about the VA.

And once the independent review and audit is complete, he will hold accountable any and all who have done our veterans wrong.

I say this to Secretary Shinseki: Do not resign. We are with you. Go for broke and let’s clean up this mess that has been there way before you took over.

Source: Faleomavaega's office media release