Southwest Montana News

Today, Chairman Matt Rosendale of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, expressed his opposition to H.R. 8371 - The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.

Chairman Rosendale criticized the legislative process behind the bill, stating, "The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee ignored regular order with this legislation which, by uniparty design, prohibited scrutiny and debate on the final product." He argued that such a process leads to an unsatisfactory outcome for veterans.

Rosendale also raised concerns about section 303 of the Dole Act. He claimed it legitimizes what he described as an "illegal practice" of using taxpayer funds to provide benefits to same-sex spouses and cohabitating individuals who have not served in the military.

Additionally, Rosendale pointed out issues related to Oracle Cerner's EHR system. He noted that despite previous bipartisan efforts to address problems with this system—issues he claims have resulted in veteran deaths—the bill allows Oracle Cerner to continue its operations without accountability. According to Rosendale, "Instead of being held accountable, Oracle Cerner bought and bullied their way into getting this bill passed without their company being scrutinized."

Rosendale has been vocal about these issues over recent years. On multiple occasions throughout 2023 and 2024, he highlighted failures within Oracle Cerner’s systems at various VA medical centers and accused the company of prioritizing political lobbying over software quality.

In response to these ongoing concerns, Rosendale introduced several legislative measures aimed at addressing problems with Oracle Cerner's contract and operations within VA medical centers.