WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following pressure from local veterans and U.S Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18), portraits of the Commander in Chief and VA Secretary are being returned to the walls of the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs facility and facilities all across the country. Earlier today, Rep. Mast spoke with officials at the White House who notified him that the Department of Veterans Affairs would be issuing guidance to VA facilities indicating that in the absence of official portraits provided by the Government Printing Office, temporary portraits are to be placed on the walls.

"When veterans see a problem, they fix it, and this week was no different." Rep. Mast said. "Thank you to our veterans, the West Palm Beach VA and the White House for coming together to address our veterans' concerns."

BACKGROUND

On Tuesday, February 14, 2017, Rep. Mast visited the West Palm Beach VA, where he gets his own health care, after numerous calls from constituents that there was a delay in hanging up photos of the new VA Secretary and President—photos that are supposed to be hung in every VA facility across the country.

While there, he addressed the concerns of these local veterans by helping to hang the official photos of Secretary Shulkin and President Trump; however, after the veterans had left, the photos were removed from the wall.

Today, following guidance issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the portraits are being returned to the walls.

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