Womack Statement on OIG VA Medical Center Pathologist Report

Statement

Washington, DC--June 2, 2021....Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) released the below statement regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG report on the oversight failures at the Fayetteville VA, which details the serious and flagrant missteps that allowed the egregious misconduct of a former pathologist at the facility:

"The report details an abject failure of leadership that led to the misdiagnosis and subsequent harm to hundreds of veterans who rely on the VA health system for care. It is unacceptable to limit accountability to the criminal conduct of Dr. Levy. I am disturbed by the complicit nature of the leadership chain that permitted a climate to exist that led to the horrific outcomes affecting these victims. Numerous signs of impairment were ignored, proper institutional controls were absent, and the end result was a terrible tragedy impacting our American heroes."

Congressman Womack has previously testified before the House Veterans Affairs' Committee on this situation, called for examinations of VA procedures, worked with VA leadership to reform the reinstatement process, and led a letter to ensure Mr. Levy would not qualify to receive any retirement benefits.

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