With the sentencing of Reta Mays to consecutive life terms in the deaths of eight veterans at Clarksburg’s Louis A. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, it may be tempting for officials to believe their work is done in the matter.

That is far from the truth, and U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., know it.

The trio brought new Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough to Clarksburg this week to tour the facility, and to make the point the investigation into what made Mays’ killing spree possible has not ended.

It is clear serious lapses in procedure and leadership gave Mays the window she needed to repeatedly inject veterans with unprescribed insulin that killed them.

“I appreciate Secretary McDonough taking the time to come to West Virginia today to see first hand the policies, procedure and action items that need to be put in place to regain the trust of our veterans and provide a safe, high-quality health care environment,” Capito said.

Read that again. “Need to be,” not “have been” or “we are nearly ready to” is how Capito framed the changes that have yet to be made at the Clarksburg VA.

The last of Mays’ confirmed murders took place in June 2018 — nearly three years ago. Why in the world are we still talking about changes that have not yet been made to keep our veterans safe?

Perhaps the tour in the company of McKinley, Capito and Manchin will hammer home to McDonough the time for doing right by those who were willing to sacrifice everything for the rest of us, is now.