WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today released the following statement regarding the recent announcement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that its own paperwork error forced it to rescind the demotions of two employees who were accused of stealing more than $400,000 from the VA.

“I find it completely unacceptable and unbelievable that employees who abused their authority and robbed money from the VA were allowed to keep their jobs. And now, the VA is allowing those same employees to further delay demotion because of an administrative error. Not only is it impossible to fire employees at the VA, but they cannot even effectively demote employees for just cause.

“This highlights yet again the desperate need for accountability reform at the VA. Unfortunately, the administration has rejected every proposal Congress has presented to improve accountability at the VA, and despite being given every opportunity and countless reasons to do so, has yet to produce a plan of its own to combat the widespread corruption at the VA. Instead, our efforts have been met with veto threats, inaction and talking points aimed at defending the status quo.

“I will continue working as chairman to advance several accountability reform measures that have been passed by our committee so that we can finally see improvement at the VA, which has so far either been incapable of or unwilling to adequately hold bad actors appropriately accountable.”

Earlier this year, an Office of Inspector General report revealed that VA executives were involved in a scheme at the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) to increase pay for senior executives by transferring them to other positions within the administration. The VA paid more than $400,000 in relocation benefits to transfer two executives to different positions.

###

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 114th Congress.

Isakson is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate VA Committee since he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson’s home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations representing each branch of the military as well as more than 750,000 veterans.