Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald – under siege for comparing long wait times at VA health care sites to waiting in line at a Disney amusement park – said Tuesday he now regrets the remarks.
In a written statement to the Association Press reported by
Stars and Stripes Tuesday, McDonald said, "It was never my intention to suggest that I don't take our mission of serving veterans very seriously."
At a breakfast Monday, McDonald asserted the VA shouldn't use wait times as a measure of success, comparing waits for VA health care to the hours people wait for rides at Disney theme parks.
He said a veterans' health-care experience was more important than the time spend waiting for an appointment.
"If my comments Monday led any veterans to believe that I, or the dedicated workforce I am privileged to lead, don't take that noble mission seriously, I deeply regret that," he said in his statement.
"Nothing could be further from the truth."
GOP lawmakers have railed at the remarks as insulting and inappropriate.