...for as long as it takes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will meet at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 11 to examine what the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is doing to protect whistleblowers.
Subcommittee Chairman Terry Everett (R-AL) is concerned about VA treatment of whistleblowers in the wake of wrongful death and serious mismanagement cases in VA hospitals. He pointed to "the appearance of a continuing pattern of intense scrutiny, selective performance and disciplinary reviews, and disparate treatment" of VA employees who refused to look the other way in those cases.
"Reprisal can be as subtle as it is ugly," Mr. Everett said, "and I believe the VA is not doing enough to stop it. This has the effect of leaving whistleblowers exposed to retaliation, and it has a chilling effect on whistleblowing altogether."
"I am pleased that the Veterans' Affairs Committee has agreed to hold this hearing," said Congresswoman Corrine Brown (D-FL), the Subcommittee's ranking Democratic member, "We should go out of our way to make sure that those who want to help our veterans are able to do so. Our veterans have made precious sacrifices for our country, and the people who assist them should be honored for their work and not afraid to report wrongdoing."
In a letter last fall to VA Secretary Togo West, Everett wrote that he believes there is an "old boy network" in the VA that tolerates "favoritism, cronyism, harassment and reprisal." Everett also wrote that the VA must "change this culture and its history of turning a blind eye toward mismanagement and misconduct by its senior managers while punishing anyone who dares to speak up."
Dissatisfied last November with the VA's failure to answer his questions about whistleblowing cases, Everett promised to schedule a hearing on whistleblowers early in this session of Congress.
The Subcommittee will hear from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the VA, the VA Inspector General, and several VA employees involved in whistleblower cases. The hearing will be held in 334 Cannon Building.
Disclaimer of Endorsement:
Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by VNIS. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of VNIS, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. VNIS is not a government agency and is a sole proprietorship, own and operated by Christian L. Wilson USN/Ret
