{"id":39443,"date":"2019-02-07T19:39:47","date_gmt":"2019-02-07T19:39:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/02\/07\/va-says-its-has-never-been-more-cooperative-with-congress-so-why-cant-lawmakers-get-the-answers-they-want\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:39:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:39:32","slug":"va-says-its-has-never-been-more-cooperative-with-congress-so-why-cant-lawmakers-get-the-answers-they-want","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/veterans\/2019\/02\/07\/va-says-its-has-never-been-more-cooperative-with-congress-so-why-cant-lawmakers-get-the-answers-they-want\/","title":{"rendered":"VA says it has never been more cooperative with Congress. So why can\u2019t lawmakers get the answers they want?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/09\/26\/wilkie-touts-a-calmer-reformed-va-in-his-first-congressional-test\/\" target=_blank>Veterans Affairs officials<\/a> issued a formal announcement this week that they are \u201cproviding a new and unprecedented level of transparency to lawmakers in Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic lawmakers are asking if that\u2019s the case, why are they still struggling to get answers on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/02\/05\/senators-skeptical-over-long-term-va-health-records-overhaul\/\" target=\"_blank\">a host of department policy issues. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VA officials and congressional critics have been locked in an escalating fight this week over whether VA leadership has been forthcoming on series of recent requests, with an emphasis on the new community care rules which could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/01\/31\/new-va-health-care-rules-trump-overreach-or-more-choice-for-vets\/\" target=_blank>dramatically expand the number of veterans receiving taxpayer-funded health care from private-sector doctors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/01\/30\/new-va-plan-vets-facing-30-minute-drives-20-day-waits-for-appointments-could-get-private-sector-care-instead\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"181\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_21720922750-1.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">New VA plan: Vets facing 30-minute drives, 20-day waits for appointments could get private-sector care instead<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The draft standards could massively expand the number of outside medical appointments that taxpayers have to fund.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The showdown calls into question whether Congress and VA can continue to see the same type of legislative success they\u2019ve enjoyed in recent years, with numerous high-profile bills passed into law and brought into regular rotation in President Donald Trump\u2019s stump speeches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also comes as Congress evaluates whether it needs to intervene on the new proposed community care rules, already a controversial conflict point in the larger debate over whether the administration is outsourcing too many responsibilities and too much money in their quest to make VA health care more flexible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawmakers, including Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee ranking member Jon Tester, D-Mont., have said their requests for detailed information on the sweeping health care rule changes have been ignored. Congressional staff was briefed on the issue as it was being publicly released for the first time, and lawmakers from both parties said they felt the had limited input while the rules were being drafted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOnce again, VA has followed its no well-established pattern of lack of transparency with Congress with its failure to engage in dialogue about its plans with regard to the new Veterans Community Care Program,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veterans.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/2019-02-05%20letter%20to%20Wilkie%20on%20access%20standards.pdf\" target=_blank>Tester wrote in a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie<\/a> this week that was co-signed by 11 other Democratic senators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGiven the lack of fundamental information VA is currently able to provide on the proposed standards and what we know about the quality and access to care the department is able to provide, we believe there is reason for alarm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/01\/31\/new-va-health-care-rules-trump-overreach-or-more-choice-for-vets\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"203\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/RYW32DW23VCERNJQSYTDCRN7KA.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">New VA health care rules: Trump overreach or more choice for vets?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Debate over how to expand veterans health care choices connects to larger national fights over the role of government and private-sector partnerships.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter lists more than 50 unanswered questions on VA funding, staffing, patient use projections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It followed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veterans.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/2019-02-04%208-corner%20letter%20to%20Wilkie.pdf\" target=_blank>a letter just days earlier<\/a> from Tester, House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., and their Republican counterparts lamenting that staff briefings from VA have been \u201csomewhat limited in scope and details\u201d since Wilkie took office last year, and reminding the department of Congress\u2019 oversight role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VA leadership has pushed back, saying that they dramatically increased their response to congressional inquiries from fiscal 2017 to fiscal 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/opa\/pressrel\/pressrelease.cfm?id=5192\" target=_blank>In a statement,<\/a> Wilkie said that VA is \u201csetting new standards\u201d for cooperation with Congress and releasing information to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUnder President Trump\u2019s leadership, the department is now the first hospital system in the nation to post online its hospital wait times, opioid prescription rates, accountability and settlement info, and chief executive travel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAll the while, we are keeping lawmakers informed through multiple means regarding the great reforms and progress across the department, and we will continue to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2018\/08\/10\/concerns-build-over-trumps-unofficial-advisors-on-veterans-policy\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"176\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_17040578086966.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Concerns build over Trump\u2019s unofficial advisers on veterans policy<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Democrats are furious over reports that members of Trump&#039;s Florida resort may be setting VA policy in secret.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VA officials reiterated that message on Capitol Hill later in the week during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on electronic medical records. But several senators \u2014 both Democrats and Republicans \u2014 expressed concerns that answers to specific questions have been difficult to obtain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among them have been ongoing concerns about the influence of a trio of businessmen \u2014 Marvel Entertainment CEO Ike Perlmutter, primary care specialist Dr. Bruce Moskowitz, and attorney Marc Sherman \u2014 who have been linked to key policy discussions within VA, despite having no formal role in the administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Thursday, after months of similar requests about their role to VA, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.warren.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/2019.02.6%20Letter%20to%20Mar-a-Lago%20Trio%20re%20Personally%20Profiting%20from%20VA%20Interference.pdf\" target=_blank>Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.<\/a>, released a letter she sent directly to the three men requesting clarification on their role in VA planning, including whether they \u201cmay have had the opportunity to profit from your arrangement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VA statement on transparency criticized past administrations for \u201cnot providing enough information to the legislative branch\u201d but said that has changed for the better since Trump took office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tester disagreed, saying he saw more effort in outreach to Congress in the past, both during Republican and Democratic control of the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018This is not a political thing,\u201d he said. \u201cCommunication is critical \u2026 The secretary has done some really good work, but I don\u2019t believe it is where it needs to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said he had not yet seen the VA press release on transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI appreciate the fact that they responded,\u201d Tester said. \u201cIt would be nice if they picked up the phone instead of doing it through (the press). \u201c<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Growing frustration between the administration&#8217;s veteran program leaders and Congress could stall the legislative success they&#8217;ve enjoyed in recent years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":75361,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[100,23,93,12,25,68,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3334],"class_list":["post-39443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"RUE636JWLBDGJMRIYI6R6J35VM","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/02\/07\/va-says-its-has-never-been-more-cooperative-with-congress-so-why-cant-lawmakers-get-the-answers-they-want\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>VA says it has never been more cooperative with Congress. 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