The Senate is expected to take up a new measure this week that would overhaul the nation’s healthcare system for veterans in the wake of a scandal over a cover-up of lengthy wait times. The proposal from Senator Bernie Sanders would make it easier for the Department of Veterans Affairs to dismiss employees, expand medical space and send veterans to private providers if wait times are too long. Sanders is unveiling the measure following Friday’s resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. President Obama announced Shinseki’s departure on Friday.

President Obama: “In public remarks, he took responsibility for the conduct of those facilities and apologized to his fellow veterans and to the American people. And a few minutes ago, Secretary Shinseki offered me his own resignation. With considerable regret, I accepted. He does not want to be a distraction, because his priority is to fix the problem and make sure our vets are getting the care that they need. That was Ric’s judgment on behalf of his fellow veterans. And I agree. We don’t have time for distractions. We need to fix the problem.”

An inspector general’s review last week found VA officials across the system falsified records to hide lengthy wait times for appointments. Shinseki will be replaced by his deputy, Sloan Gibson. Speaking shortly before handing in his resignation, Shinseki apologized to the nation’s veterans.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki: “We now know that VA has a systemic, totally unacceptable lack of integrity within some of our veterans’ health facilities. That breach of trust involved the tracking of patient wait times for appointments. Our initial findings of our ongoing internal review of other large VA healthcare facilities also show that to be true. That breach of integrity is irresponsible. It is indefensible and unacceptable. So given the facts I now know, I apologize as the senior leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs. I extend an apology to the people whom I care most deeply about, and that’s the veterans of this great country, to their families and loved ones, who I have been honored to serve.”

Senator Bernie Sanders will introduce his veterans’ bill as early as today. Republicans previously blocked a measure from Sanders in February that would have funded a massive expansion of veterans’ care.