WASHINGTON (AP) — The embattled secretary of Veterans Affairs says recent weeks have been challenging, but his agency takes caring for veterans seriously.

Eric Shinseki is speaking to advocates for homeless veterans. It’s the first time that he has spoken publicly since a scathing inspector general report was released. The report found that about 1,700 veterans in need of care were “at risk of being lost or forgotten” after being kept off an official waiting list.