article_snippet: (CNN)Last summer, amid startling news reports of manipulation, mismanagement and possibly death caused by failures at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Congress came together and passed legislation to overhaul veterans' access to health care.
article_snippet: Now, VA is trying to take the choice away.
article_snippet: That could not be further from the truth.
article_snippet: Thousands of veterans are struggling to access the care Thousands of veterans were promised through Veterans' Choice Act because of VA's flawed implementation of law and foolish interpretation of the 40-mile rule in the distance criteria.
article_snippet: VA VA is denying the access the law was intended to provide and forcing veterans to choose between traveling hours to a VA medical facility, paying out of pocket or going without care altogether.
article_snippet: Thousands of veterans across the country are facing this same frustration.
article_snippet: Why is common sense not prevailing at VAVA?
article_snippet: Why is VA VA not bending over backward to take care of veterans?
article_snippet: As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have questioned VA Secretary Bob McDonald and other VA officials for months in hearings, personal meetings, phone calls and correspondence about VA's flawed interpretation of the 40-mile rule and what can be done to fix the problem.
article_snippet: But for some reason, VA VA refuses to use the authority Congress gave VA and put the best interest of veterans first.
highlights_snippet: VA is denying the access law was intended to provide .