Huelskamp Sponsors Legislation to Clean Up the VA

Press Release

Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) has joined House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller in introducing the VA Accountability Act, which would give the Department of Veterans Affairs secretary sweeping new authority to fire corrupt or incompetent employees and protect whistleblowers.

"It has been over a year since these massive, shameful scandals at the VA became public, and they still have only fired three people despite claiming otherwise," said Congressman Huelskamp. "The problems with the VA aren't new to me, nor are they to our Veterans, and this legislation is desperately needed to clean up the VA and provide our Veterans the accountability they deserve.

This legislation comes after the VA's long history of disservice with excessive wait times, resultant harm and death to our Veterans, and subsequent cover-ups, denials, and other criminal misconduct. The Department has been less than transparent in their disclosure of punishment for corrupt employees, including giving false information to Congress and media on numerous occasions. New documents submitted to the Veterans Affairs Committee reveals just how minimal the punishments given for this massive nationwide scandal - despite previous VA claims of much larger employee termination.

Congressman Huelskamp has been a leading voice on this issue, including calling attention to undeserved big bonuses to VA officials while Veterans wait months for care. Recently at a March 16th committee hearing, Congressman Huelskamp pressed the VA General Counsel for answers about the Department's repeated misleading statements.

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