[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6346079,"mediaKeyId","2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04","parentId",2247503,"title","Lawmakers and watchdogs raise alarm over firing of VA inspector general and reported outsider access to VA data","audioSeconds",2761,"startMs",2518000,"endMs",5279000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04&start=2518&end=5279","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04/thumbnail_2518000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6346079/Lawmakers-and-watchdogs-raise-alarm-over-firing-of-VA-inspector-general-and-reported-outsider-access-to-VA-data","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6346079-75ddde0b2632dbb00f687133eb91eaea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135486&Signature=mQPGtO95Mfloiq8qgyuBF~yomwVsz02T27n0E-ZUmHpKUUYM2v1ptXOWl7NwuMnwaCKo2uxB7bpI60C0EyNuD4ukqJ7x~cOoYtEOq1fwg8g81BpbmL0xn4K0iXOhLFibG1NlzA4htfBkNdaN44wiUaxCekCi2qvhhF6NDgylevGV7rwG4qfk4B43Fq3BhfyA4DZHRd4zchbHlK0OGBAeglRB8Sb7zyfX1sDn1a0lIFdGSlVk8u8fLeMIE3QR-H35EFSLgK3QyRZBixjJ6xu~SyBltyL-FybdXl4V6sGwHfN2jKihienP~CjukO7qAjBtytoDT~fVLkQ3XquJcrmO9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs","date","2025-02-07T15:31:45.237Z","article","Several members of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and an outside watchdog said the recent removal of multiple inspectors general — including the Department of Veterans Affairs’ former inspector general — and reports of outside contractors accessing VA offices raise oversight and legal concerns.

Donald Sherman, Executive Director and Chief Counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), testified that inspector general independence is critical and said the recent removals were improper. “Provisions of the bipartisan securing inspector general independence act require the president to provide Congress with 30 days notice and an explanation before firing an IG,” Sherman said. He told the subcommittee CREW had filed a lawsuit related to outside contractor activities earlier in the month.

Ranking Member Ramirez and other Democrats also criticized the firings and questioned whether outside contractors affiliated with private companies had been given improper access to VA central office or veteran data. Ramirez said she would ask the new acting inspector general to investigate reports that non-government personnel associated with Elon Musk visited VA central office and accessed veteran data, calling such access “an abuse of power” if confirmed.

Why it matters. Inspectors general provide independent oversight of federal agencies; members said abrupt removals and outside access to data could undermine transparency and veterans’ privacy. Sherman and Ramirez urged rapid inquiry into both the legality of the removals and the circumstances of private-party access to VA systems or data.

What the subcommittee will do. Ranking Member Ramirez said she would request an investigation by the inspector general and indicated the committee would continue to press for answers about who accessed VA data, which officials met with outside contractors and whether legal protocols were followed.

Ending. The hearing closed with members pledging ongoing oversight and with Democrats in particular urging prompt investigations into the IG removals and outsider access to VA systems and data.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Oversight Hearing","oneSentenceSummary","Several members of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and an outside watchdog said the recent removal of multiple inspectors general — including the Department of Veterans Affairs’ former inspector general — and reports of outside contractors accessing VA offices raise oversight and legal concerns.","taxTitle","Veterans Affairs: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1825,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6346091,"House veterans subcommittee divides over Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025",958,762000,1720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04&start=762&end=1720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04/thumbnail_762000.jpg","/articles/6346091/House-veterans-subcommittee-divides-over-Restore-VA-Accountability-Act-of-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6346091-5e766fb6e5b1264c5cc115984150409b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135486&Signature=XG1iO7Dn2UJEZHkQYIymhhbTdJbeJvbgmb4wuMETkJVhhqCV~FGijIk7tF4OJhF2jS31OtHFgESavYp7--NbhZp2cVgPoNCPhQAGfnEWbAkH64HvnoX6aJJOnYJStuJ~x4Q~TNv04sPtrOuiLpG8O2sygPllsBoxsebcqR2Io0lM2H7c~sRX6SDt-4z4jEjudQ8XPw2N2g-WTO~lkmonq87DEDOezvTWB1-DfOvyzDDEMxiLzWoJCY4tvgTdP76qyNcqyHJnBbrun4a10uwSE0Tk28EqthLShdM-tXuSm9cknmiBbMxeGm9w-~Iv0CCDu-NkdU1kcTrWwllianyC5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations debated the Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025 at a Department of Veterans Affairs oversight hearing, with Republican members pressing for new authority to remove poorly performing VA employees and Democrats arguing the bill would undercut due process and not fix staffing or patient-safety problems.

The bill, reintroduced by Republicans and referenced repeatedly during the hearing, “makes clear that bad VA employees need to be held accountable to ensure that the best Federal employees are serving veterans,” Chairwoman Kiggins said in opening remarks. Ranking Member Ramirez said she supported accountability but warned the Restore Act would repeat prior mistakes and be used for partisan removals: “The Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025 is just more of the same,” Ramirez said.

Why it matters: Committee members on both sides said accountability matters for veteran safety, but they differed sharply on whether additional statutory authority is necessary or whether existing laws and oversight mechanisms should be used more effectively. The partisan split maps onto different assessments of past efforts to speed removals of VA employees and the legal outcomes of those efforts.

What members debated and why. Republicans argued the VA has protected poor-performing employees at the expense of veterans and taxpayers and that sharper removal tools are required. Chairwoman Kiggins pointed to cases where VA leaders allegedly failed to hold staff accountable and to earlier congressional oversight findings. Democrats, led by Ranking Member Ramirez, countered that earlier expedited-removal laws were litigated and that the 2017 law’s expedited authorities were later curtailed after court challenges and costly settlements; Ramirez said VA already has Title 5 tools to remove or discipline employees and urged improved training, reporting pathways and human-resources capacity instead of new removal authorities.

Historical context discussed during the hearing included the Veterans Choice Act of 2014 and the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017. Members noted litigation and settlement costs tied to prior expedited-discipline authorities and said those experiences shape their views on the Restore bill. Ramirez cited the use and eventual legal challenges to the 2017 authorities, saying courts and past executive actions limited the law’s practical effect.

What was not decided. The hearing featured detailed exchanges and testimony but produced no committee votes or formal adoption of the bill. Members on both sides signaled willingness to continue oversight but remained opposed on the core question of whether new statutory removal authorities are needed.

Ending note. The hearing underscored a continuing bipartisan concern about veteran safety and the performance of VA leadership, but it also highlighted sharp procedural and legal disagreements about how best to achieve accountability without undermining employee due process or worsening staffing shortages.","The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations debated the Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025 at a Department of Veterans Affairs oversight hearing, with Republican members pressing for new authority to remove poorly performing VA employees and Democrats arguing the bill would undercut due process and not fix staffing or patient-safety problems.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6346084,"Subcommittee presses VA on hiring freeze, staffing shortages and care delays at Buffalo and Hampton",1697,2855000,4552000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04&start=2855&end=4552","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04/thumbnail_2855000.jpg","/articles/6346084/Subcommittee-presses-VA-on-hiring-freeze-staffing-shortages-and-care-delays-at-Buffalo-and-Hampton","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6346084-83a03cba73ef91d6f0e4b93043e2368a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135486&Signature=oyx37PyrxqXBpT5OgOJYSC1HY2M22H~-1lCDbzn59EuDHBSEoPDwYfP~uY2C2dQRiVJ55APUY6llX37cazudN7L1tY3W4398Kb7KVdve~Jcylwym7H5UqaLMKhXWvg6oNFo19y4bP2NM1kO2eNbQtNdHmNzOjP4oQaOk3wo-8TbsBEqp7SM0YV4XCQb26wkFpUaQRrLIqCCPEwoIaH2IXBR8ZPNhMS2UGgTyDSjoEf-RMPFEWPO3JidI56j7HDdIJJqZ2-iibFkyXcY0yscnDqSEUAf2g9P3DQkRn7lnUC2DwZGgCYp~NaabtEUwqdrRYXueWES4j1MYWzMARqtupg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations pressed VA officials about how the administration's hiring freeze and other personnel actions are affecting staffing at VA medical centers, naming Buffalo and Hampton as sites cited in recent OIG reports for care delays and management problems.

Representative Kennedy and other members discussed the OIG’s findings at the Buffalo VA Medical Center, where inspectors reported delayed oncology appointments that contributed to poor outcomes. Dr. Mark Upton, Deputy to the Deputy Under Secretary for Health, said leadership had “very swiftly pulled a team of experts together from various disciplines to go to Buffalo” and that the VHA was committed to hiring the staff needed to meet care requirements.

Representative Moylan and other members also raised concerns about territories, asking how the Veterans Health Administration allocates resources for geographically isolated areas such as Guam. Tracey Theritt said VHA publishes recurring staffing reports and that local leadership works with VISN leadership to request resources and reallocations as needed.

Staffing details discussed. Committee members cited examples from the public record and prior OIG reports: a veteran in Buffalo with cancer experienced a 10‑week gap before care was arranged, and the Hampton VA Medical Center was reported to be left with a single anesthesiologist for patient care in the member’s district. VA witnesses acknowledged staffing shortages and described exception processes they said had permitted some critical hires despite a broader hiring freeze.

Requests and follow-up. Members asked for written staffing and hiring information; Dr. Upton told the subcommittee he would follow up with detailed hiring information for Buffalo. Tracey Theritt said VHA publishes monthly staffing reports and quarterly Mission Act reports on vacancies and staffing levels.

Ending. Lawmakers pressed for specific, facility-level data and for the VA to ensure that vacancies do not compromise patient care while the committee continues oversight.","Members questioned VA officials about effects of the administration's hiring freeze and persistent staffing shortages at facilities including the Buffalo VA Medical Center and the Hampton VA Medical Center, citing delayed oncology appointments, a single anesthesiologist at Hampton and requests for facility-level hiring data.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6346088,"VA officials and inspector general describe accountability reforms and lingering systemic gaps",343,1874000,2217000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04&start=1874&end=2217","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2247503-f8f7e64005deb589a8cdd3116ba9bd04/thumbnail_1874000.jpg","/articles/6346088/VA-officials-and-inspector-general-describe-accountability-reforms-and-lingering-systemic-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6346088-a73cf092c51357bb9180cd8b23f8a769/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135486&Signature=b~ZtBvElpQV3CtEVd1SRIdfnvKpGIjAmNRh6xci5qnTDszscmDdvlrq8dvmSz~AAqkvrR3tyB4drH3coJChW1pURsmgvFnfYboR0d3Bv-rQSxzl707j~yTdXVgh1Rtkg4e75GPP7gj~K1FVZDDfYEHIBRSTeTzCYlVcGyWO37IgFhw88duBmDif3ZBROBUl44e86NCaqk~vcEpfa4R~JPn8zGQ-ZUaAKKytV-WftA6QlpjZXtCGea~X9jLZGB-o3cw57958jYM2nJY4zxfX76YVnjRwELPytPa5wCAJQC~Ivqn2EZOFMjW9DZdRFAolTxVq1wG1~1IXr1XdQhYC2BA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs described steps to speed investigations, increase management acceptance of recommendations and strengthen whistleblower protections, while the Office of Inspector General told the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations that persistent systemic problems remain that affect patient safety and benefits delivery.

Acting Assistant Secretary Ted Radway, who leads the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP), said his office has increased case intake and reduced case-closure times. “From fiscal 21 to '24, the number of incoming complaints increased by over 60% to 3,305 complaints,” Radway said. He told the committee OAWP reduced the time to close complex cases by over 75% and that management accepted or acted on disciplinary recommendations in roughly 92% of cases in fiscal 2024.

David Case, the Acting Inspector General, summarized the OIG’s recent oversight work and recurring themes: “We have been proactively overseeing VA's implementation of [major systems],” he said, adding that in fiscal 2024 the OIG released more than 300 oversight publications with over 1,100 recommendations, nearly 250 arrests and 79 convictions and a reported monetary impact of roughly $6.5 billion.

Why it matters. OAWP metrics indicate more complaints handled and higher acceptance of recommendations, which committee members said is relevant to accountability and veteran safety. The OIG’s work, however, identified recurring failures in governance, staffing, IT modernization (including the electronic health record transition), quality assurance and consistent leadership—factors the OIG said can undermine patient safety and timely delivery of benefits.

Selected details from testimony. Radway described OAWP’s investigative practices, including use of investigative attorneys and standards aligned to Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency guidance. Radway said OAWP issues reports and recommendations but does not itself implement disciplinary actions; instead, deciding officials in VA management carry out proposed discipline. Case told the committee the OIG often finds unclear roles and responsibilities, vacancies and staffing shortages, outdated or conflicting guidance, and weak monitoring.

What the witnesses said about next steps. Witnesses described continuing monitoring and implementation work. Radway said OAWP launches climate reviews to assess whistleblower reporting environments; Case said the OIG will continue to produce reports and recommendations and follow up on VA action plans. No formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Ending. Witnesses from OAWP and OIG presented competing signals: measurable improvements in investigative throughput and recommendation acceptance in OAWP’s metrics, coupled with OIG findings that systemic governance, staffing and IT issues still pose risks to veteran care and benefits delivery.","VA Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection officials told a House subcommittee they have improved investigative capacity and management acceptance of recommendations, while the Office of Inspector General said systemic issues—including staffing shortages, IT modernization problems, uneven local oversight and weak monitoring—continue","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers and watchdogs raise alarm over firing of VA inspector general and reported outsider access to VA data

House veterans subcommittee divides over Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025

Subcommittee presses VA on hiring freeze, staffing shortages and care delays at Buffalo and Hampton

VA officials and inspector general describe accountability reforms and lingering systemic gaps