HVAC to Revisit VA's Transparency Challenges, Cooperation With Congress

HVAC to Revisit VA’s Transparency Challenges, Cooperation With Congress

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— On Thursday, April 3, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. in room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will hold a hearing to once again examine the Department of Veterans Affairs’ transparency challenges and cooperation with Congress.

 

At a Sept. 19, 2013, hearing focusing on the same subject, VA Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs Joan Mooney assured members of the committee VA’s cooperation with Congress would improve. “We can and will do better,” she said. At the time of Mooney’s statement, the committee was awaiting VA responses to nearly 70 requests for information – a number that as of March 21, 2014, had grown to 112 requests for information, three of which date to 2012.    

 

The pace with which VA is responding to requests – and in some cases not responding– has become an impediment to the basic oversight responsibilities of the committee, drawing loud and open criticism from HVAC Republicans and Democrats.

 

Notable outstanding information requests include several inquiries regarding delays in VA medical care, an issue since linked to the preventable deaths of at least 19 veterans. So far,VA has refused to reveal the specific VA facilities where many of the veterans who died were seeking treatment.

 

The purpose of this hearing is to examine the internal process by which VA’s Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs responds to HVAC information requests. Additionally, the hearing will explore the department’s standards and metrics regarding congressional information requests.

 

The following event is open to the press:

 

WHO:             House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

WHAT:          Hearing: “Trials in Transparency II:  Is VA Responding to Congressional Requests in a Timely Manner?”

WHEN:          10:00 a.m., Thursday, April 3, 2014

WHERE:        Room 334, Cannon House Office Building and streaming atveterans.house.gov

 

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For more news from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, please visit:

 

Veterans.House.Gov 

Find us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/HouseVetsAffairs or follow us on Twitter at:

@HouseVetAffairs

 

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 Sean Eagan

 Life Member VFW NY Post 53
 American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

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