For the second time in recent weeks, the House Veterans Committee will hold an unusual evening hearing in the Congress, focusing again on how schedulers at the VA faked data to make it seem like veterans weren't waiting long periods for medical appointments.
"We're going to have two hearings a week for the forseeable future," said Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), the Chairman of the Veterans Committee.
Miller has been one of many thoroughly aggravated lawmakers when it comes to the VA, as he accuses the agency of doing all it can to "stonewall the press, the public and Congress."
"I am hoping Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson will put an immediate stop these disturbing trends," Miller said last week, demanding that Miller hand over subpoenaed documents by Monday evening's hearing.
"Gibson has a chance to begin to repair the reputation of a department that has gained notoriety for its secrecy and duplicity with the public and indifference to the constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities of Congress," said Miller.
"I am hoping he makes the most of this chance."
Monday's hearing will focus on testimony from the Governmental Accountability Office and the Inspector General of the VA; lawmakers will review reports in recent weeks which raised questions about how the VA manipulated data to make it look like veterans were getting medical appointments in a speedy manner.
"VA’s delays in care crisis is very real, very deadly, and as the inspector general and the department itself told us last week, systemic," Miller said in the Republican radio address on Saturday.
Prime Time. Prime Time
This marks the second time in recent weeks that Rep. Miller has held a Veterans Committee hearing at night - while sometimes Congressional hearings slip into the evening, it is rare to have an investigative hearing with testimony from official witnesses begin after dinner.
But it seemed to work the first time around.
That first hearing stretched for over four hours, as lawmakers in both parties didn't have to worry about running off for votes or to other meetings, as they were able to zero in on a series of VA witnesses and verbally lash them before the cameras.
It also gives lawmakers a unique chance to have the folks back home watch it live via the internet, while most daytime hearings in the middle of the work day might not get as much attention.
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