ANDY TOBIN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

1700 WEST WASHINGTON, SUITE H PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007-2844 CAPITO PHONE! "#02$ %2#-5172 CAPITO FAX! "#02$ 417-&085 TO FREE! 1-800-&52-8404

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RU ES 444444 EGIS ATI6E COUNCI , 6ICE-CHAIR5AN 444444 IBRARY, ARCHI6ES AND PUB IC RECORDS BOARD, 6ICE-CHAIR5AN 444444 7OINT EGIS ATI6E AUDIT CO55ITTEE

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444444 DISTRICT 1

April 17, 2014 Chairman Bernie Sanders United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Russell Senate Building Room 412 !ashington, "#C# 20$10 %0$0 State Capitol, Phoenix & Spea'er of the Ari(ona )ouse of Representati*es And+ ,o-in .R /res0ott1 and Rep# 2ustin /ier0e, Chairman /u-li0 Safet+, 3ilitar+ and Regulator+ Affairs .R 3esa1 "ear Chairman Sanders, ,he reported near 40 deaths at the /hoeni4 Veterans Affairs )ospital due to mismanagement and negle0t is -e+ond an+thing 5e 0ould ha*e imagined happening at a fa0ilit+ that has as its sole purpose the 0are of the militar+ men and 5omen 5ho ha*e ris'ed their li*es prote0ting ours# 6t goes 5ithout sa+ing that this 'ind of organi(ational -eha*ior is 0ompletel+ una00epta-le and the indi*iduals in*ol*ed in this *er+ sad situation must -e held a00ounta-le# All *eterans must -e treated 5ith the honor, respe0t and lo+alt+ that the+ ha*e gi*en us and our 0ountr+ -+ their ser*i0e# As representati*es of the state of Ari(ona 5e 5ill -e aggressi*el+ loo'ing into 5hat 5e 0an do to prote0t those 5ho defended our freedoms# !e also respe0tfull+ re7uest that the Senate VA Committee initiate an in*estigation and hold hearings as soon as possi-le into the e*ents at the /hoeni4 VA )ospital# 8ur nation has a dut+ to pro*ide the -est 7ualit+ of 0are to those 5ho ha*e ser*ed and sa0rifi0ed on our -ehalf, and 5e must hold a00ounta-le those responsi-le for -rea'ing faith 5ith that solemn o-ligation#

Sin0erel+,

And+ ,o-in Spea'er of the )ouse

2ustin /ier0e )ouse Representati*e