Expressing the sense of the House with respect to accountability for mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that:

• actions by officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) represent a clear violation of the public's trust in the VA to provide veterans with access to quality health care and warrant criminal investigation,
• the inability of the Administration to objectively investigate its own wrongdoing warrants the appointment of a Special Counsel to determine whether VA mismanagement and misconduct were criminal, and
• the appointment of a Special Counsel would be in the public interest.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 633 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 633

 Expressing the sense of the House with respect to accountability for 
          mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 20, 2014

   Mr. Barrow of Georgia (for himself and Mr. Cassidy) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House with respect to accountability for 
          mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Whereas revelations in 2013 unveiled a pattern of inefficiency and misconduct at 
        Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Clinics (VAMC) across the 
        country;
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General conducted 
        interviews with VA employees and inspected VA facilities across the 
        country;
Whereas on June 9, 2014, the VA released an initial audit of VA medical centers 
        across the country, conducted by the VA Inspector General, detailing a 
        pattern of mismanagement;
Whereas the Inspector General's audit found that VAMC scheduling staff were 
        pressured by VA management ``to utilize inappropriate practices in order 
        to make waiting times appear more favorable'';
Whereas the VA will undergo a review to determine why ``some front-line, middle, 
        and senior managers felt compelled to manipulate the VA's scheduling 
        process'';
Whereas in at least two instances, survey participants believed someone, other 
        than a scheduler, was ``routinely accessing records and changing desired 
        dates in order to improve performance measures'';
Whereas respondents felt ``threatened or coerced'' to alter patient appointment 
        dates and reported having been ``sanctioned or punished over scheduling 
        practices for not complying with supervisors' orders to inappropriately 
        enter or alter recorded desired dates''; and
Whereas section 600.1 of title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, directs the 
        Attorney General to appoint a Special Counsel when he or she determines 
        that--

    (1) ``criminal investigation of a person or matter is warranted'';

    (2) ``investigation or prosecution of that person or matter by a United 
States Attorney's Office or litigating Division of the Department of 
Justice would present a conflict of interest for the Department or other 
extraordinary circumstances''; and

    (3) ``under the circumstances, it would be in the public interest to 
appoint an outside Special Counsel to assume responsibility for the 
matter'': Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House that--
            (1) actions by VA officials represent a clear violation of 
        the public's trust for the Department to provide access to 
        quality health care for our Nation's veterans and warrant 
        criminal investigation;
            (2) the ability of the Administration to objectively 
        investigate its own wrongdoing warrants a Special Counsel to 
        determine whether mismanagement and misconduct at the VA was 
        criminal; and
            (3) the appointment of a Special Counsel would be in the 
        public interest.
                                 <all>