North Country congressman Bill Owens says he believes the proposed legislation to improve service to veterans “will move the VA forward in a number of key areas.”

Senators Bernard Sanders (I-VT), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and John McCain (R-AZ) announced Thursday a deal has been struck on legislation to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Based on the terms we have seen, this legislation looks like it will move the VA forward in a number of key areas,” said Owens.

Owens, a retired Air Force officer, said he is eager to see the actual language of the proposal before he commits to supporting it.

“My top priority is ensuring that rural veterans get prompt access to the care they need. The best way to do that is to allow veterans to use community hospitals and clinics when the VA is unable to deliver timely care at their own facilities.”

According to Senators Sanders and McCain, the compromise legislation would set wait time goals for veterans on waiting lists of no more than 30 days, or those who live 40 miles or more from one of the department’s medical centers, to receive care at a private healthcare facility.

The stated goal of the reform deal is to ensure timely access to care for all veterans. However, the preliminary outline of the deal that has been announced leaves it unclear whether veterans would be eligible to receive care at a community hospital if they live near a VA clinic, even if that clinic does not provide the services they need, according to a press release from Owens’ office.