BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Veteran Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough heard frustrations over high turnover rates among health care providers at the agency as he began a three-day tour of Montana on Monday — his first official trip since being confirmed in February.
The former chief of staff for President Barack Obama was invited to Montana by Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, the newly-named chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
McDonough said in response to concerns about high turnover that he wanted to make the VA “a place where people want to work.” He also highlighted money to help upgrade VA facilities that was included in the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief package.