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Obama praises commitment of VA secretary Shinseki

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has put his “heart and soul” into caring for America’s veterans. But at the same time, Obama says there will be accountability for any problems.

There have been mounting calls for Shinseki to step down amid troubling allegations of treatment delays and preventable deaths at VA hospitals, but Shinseki’s resignation appeared unlikely, at least in the short term.

Obama and Shinseki discussed the issue at the White House on Wednesday morning.

Obama said afterward that his administration will work with Shinseki to solve the problem.

Obama says Shinseki’s attitude is that if he thinks he can’t do a good job on the issue he will no longer be interested in continuing as VA secretary.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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