VA's accountability problems to be focus of hearing

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2015/12/09/veterans-affairs-house-hearing-accountibility/76988556/

VA's accountability problems to be focus of hearing

By Leo Shane III, Staff writer 5:01 a.m. EST December 9, 2015


When the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of the Inspector General accused two senior department executives of gaming internal systems to gain promotions and relocation bonuses, agency leaders responded by demoting, rather than firing, them.

When the employees appealed that action, VA lawyers admitted they mishandled case files and were forced to postpone all punishment against the pair.

Now lawmakers are wondering when or if those executives will face any discipline, in what has become the latest episode in an ongoing saga regarding accountability and reform at VA.

On Wednesday, members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee will grill VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson about “a continued and pervasive lack of accountability for corrupt and incompetent employees,” a recurring complaint among lawmakers since the fall of 2014.

That’s when Gibson and then-new VA Secretary Bob McDonald promised to repair the department’s reputation in the wake of the patient wait-times scandal that forced the resignation of several top leaders.
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The hearing will get under way at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday and will be streamed at the committee’s website.