Veterans and RNs are hosting a town hall in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 11 (see Calendar) to educate the public on the current threats to the VA health care system and to share their concerns about the lack of oversight in the implementation of the MISSION Act. Nurses and veterans are calling on Congress to protect the VA from privatization efforts and to fully staff and fund the VA so it can continue to provide the highest quality of care to our nation’s veterans, announced National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). “As a veteran and a nurse who cares for veterans, I am determined to see that the VA is made whole and is fully funded and fully staffed,” said Elaine Sherman, RN and a chief steward with NNOC/NNU. “We are seeing veterans being sent into the private sector without the necessary safeguards to ensure they are getting care that is equal to the superior care available at the VA. It is a travesty, that taxpayers’ dollars are being used to line the pockets of wealthy health care executives instead of being invested into strengthening the VA.”