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Washington, D.C. --- Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today released the following statement on a Washington Post article reporting that top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center have heard complaints about neglect from family members, veterans groups, and members of Congress for more than three years, but failed to correct substandard conditions for wounded soldiers.
“The fact that wounded American troops – those who have selflessly put their lives on the line for us – were forced to deal with infestation, mold, and rot in their living quarters and routinely were denied the care that they needed upon returning to the United States is a national disgrace. Revelations that top officials were aware of these problems and did not act to fix them are unfathomable.
“The brave men and women of our Armed Forces deserve nothing less than the best care when they return home. They deserve to receive the medical attention they need, to live in clean and well-maintained quarters, and to be afforded the opportunity recuperate with the support of their family.
“Inadequacies in the medical care and living conditions that wounded service members have encountered at Walter Reed must be corrected immediately. All other military treatment facilities serving the wounded must be inspected, and any deficiencies remedied. Senior military and civilian leaders who allowed these conditions to develop and fester must be removed and disciplined. Congress must conduct aggressive oversight to ensure this never happens again.”
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