PHOENIX โ U.S. Sen. John McCain announced Friday the launch of a veterans coalition aimed to tackle the issues faced by those who serve, namely fixing issues with the VA hospital system.
McCain, R-Ariz., who served in the U.S. Navy, made the announcement during a tour and news conference at Nichols Precision, a veteran-owned manufacturing company in Tempe that supplies weapons for the military.ย
"I'm proud of the coalition; it's growing every day," McCain said. "It renews my commitment to our veterans that we fix the VA system, as well as meet the other needs of our veterans."
McCain co-chairs the coalition with former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, Arizona Right to Life Political Action Committee chair Heather Johnson, attorney Rick Erickson, and small-business owner Martin Sepulveda, each of whom had decorated military careers.
"The veterans coalition is composed of some of the really outstanding veterans that we have here in Arizona," McCain said Friday. "We have everything from Iraq and Afghan veterans to our Vietnam veterans."
In the afternoon, McCain held a town hall at the Phoenix facilities of the USAA, of which McCain said he is a member. The company, which offers financial products and services to the military community and their families, has placed an emphasis on hiring veterans and the spouses of veterans, according to its website.
He opened the microphones to audience questions, the first of which focused on the status of discussions with the VA hospital. The hospital has been addressing delayed health care and appointment times for veterans, which surfaced last year at the VA medical center in Phoenix.
"I believe over time we'll shrink the bureaucracy and make the VA more competitive," McCain said. "We still have not seen any decrease in the number of veterans who come to our office with their cases."
McCain also urged the crowd to vote. The 78-year-old senator, who assumed office in 1987, is seeking a sixth term in August 2016.
