U.S. Representative Greg Walden of Oregon was in the overwhelming majority that voted to improve healthcare for veterans and help bring accountability to the department.

The bill is a compromise agreement between House and Senate negotiators reached this week.

"This will allow us to hire more doctors and make it easier to dismiss senior managers who have failed to live up to their responsibilities.  The plan also allows more veterans to go outside the VA System to access care in the communities where they live.  It's a good first step for veterans and their families, but there's a lot more reform that needs to be done at the VA to get accountability in that broken agency."

The bill would fund new facilities and more doctors and nurses and would allow veterans to seek healthcare ouside the VA system.

The Senate is expected to vote on the plan as early as Thursday.