Sen. Jim Banks Challenges Claims

Source: (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

WASHINGTON — Indiana Sen. Jim Banks says he’s not convinced that media reports about staff being cut and the effect it may be having at the Veterans Administration, is true. In a Thursday interview on CNN, he said that he believes the president and Elon Musk are on the right path to make the V.A. more efficient.

I’m just not convinced that that’s happening,” he said, when asked if he believes it’s efficient to cut people who handle veteran benefits.

Banks, who serves on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also said that he needs to be shown proof that staff are being cut who man the Veterans Crisis Hotline.

“I’m just not seeing it. The V.A. is a large bureaucracy. It can be run so much more efficiently. It’s not about bricks and mortar and more government employees. It’s about the veteran. Put the veteran first,” he said,

The interview was tense toward the end when the host pushed Banks, asking if he talked to his constituents.

“I hear from my constituents everyday. They want the V.A. to be less bureaucratic,” he said. “The talking points of the V.A. cutting necessary employees who are focused on veterans is bogus. It’s not proveable.”

Banks later Tweeted that he believes CNN was “playing politics”.

Several polls showed after Pres. Trump’s Tuesday speech that a majority of Americans who watched approved of the speech and also that Americans are in favor of cutting government waste.