WASHINGTON D.C. – Thursday, Representative Walorski (IN-02) and members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee heard testimony from the Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Robert McDonald, regarding the pending $2.5 billion VA budget shortfall and looming system shutdown.
“It wasn’t too long ago that veterans were dying because of intolerable acts that exposed what was happening in the VA. Yet today, we still have instances of offenses against whistleblowers and information technology issues that the American people just shake their heads at. And those issues are costing billions of dollars. It’s shocking money,” Walorski said to McDonald. “I’m asking for a guarantee for somebody, some place to be able to stand up and say never again on my watch, never again will we tolerate what’s happened. I want a guarantee going forward that this will stop.”
Earlier this month, the VA threatened to shut down hospitals in August if Congress does not address a $2.5 billion shortfall for the current budget year. The VA’s request has been met with some bipartisan resistance, with lawmakers faulting VA officials for continuing to encounter budget shortfalls. Last July, then-Acting Secretary Sloan Gibson requested additional $17 billion in funding for the VA.
Click here to watch the comments by Walorski, or click on the image below.
