The news releases in recent days seemed simple enough, as the Department of Veterans Affairs announced it is moving to get rid of a series of top officials at VA facilities around the nation - but the Chairman of the House Veterans Committee says he's worried the VA has given these executives an extra chance to retire before being fired.
"VA interprets the law differently than our intent," Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) told me on Tuesday, saying his goal in a recent VA reform law was to have VA officials fired with "no notice."
"By creating an added appeals process in which VA employees are given advance notice of the department’s plans to fire them, VA appears to be giving failing executives an opportunity to quit, retire or find new jobs without consequence – something we have already seen happen in recent weeks," Miller added in a written statement issued on Tuesday.
"Congress acted with near unanimity to give the VA secretary greater authority to actually fire failing executives, not just propose removing them," Miller said.
If you look carefully at the news releases issued in recent days by the VA, they don't say these officials are being fired, but rather that they have been "proposed for removal," with the VA executives then given the chance to challenge the conclusion.
"The Secretary will not make a final decision on the proposal until after the reply period ends and he has considered the leader’s reply to the charges," read a news release issued by the VA on the proposed ouster of Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System Director Terry Gerigk-Wolf.
Miller's aides pointed to the case of a VA official from Georgia, who announced on September 21 that he was retiring - five days later, the VA announced that it was proposing to remove John Goldman, director of the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, Georgia.
"Bragging about the proposed removal of someone who has already announced his retirement can only be described as disingenuous," Miller said in a statement.
Echoing that assessment as well was the top Democrat on Miller's panel.
"However, it is troubling that the VA's announcements of its intent to remove these individuals did not include the whole story," said a spokesman for Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME), who said the VA should be clear "about what has actually occurred."
Here's the four executives "proposed for removal" by the VA in recent weeks:
+ John Goldman, Director of VA Medical Center in Dublin, Georgia; removal centers on "allegations of data manipulation"
+ Terry Gerigk-Wolf, Director of Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System for "allegations of conduct unbecoming a Senior Executive were substantiated"
+ James Talton, Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System Director over "allegations of neglect of duty"
+ Susan Taylor, Deputy Chief Procurement Officer (DCPO), Veterans Health Administration, for "allegations of conduct prejudicial to the Government"
The most recent announcement on Monday was issued about Taylor, after reports surfaced last week that she had been in line for a top job at the Department of Energy - but saw that evaporate once officials learned that she was under investigation at the VA.
Taylor was accused in an internal report of rigging the award of a major VA contract to a Virginia company, as the VA Inspector General said she "misused her position and VA resources for private gain."
As for the VA, the agency argues these dismissals are tangible evidence of the "VA's commitment to hold leaders accountable and get Veterans the care they need."
But Congress has also seen the VA trumpet the ouster of a top official before - VA Undersecretary for Health Robert Petzel from back in May - only to then find out Petzel had not only already announced his retirement, but already had a replacement nominated by President Obama.
"Quite simply, any VA administrator who purposely manipulated appointment data, covered up problems, retaliated against whistleblowers or who was involved in malfeasance that harmed veterans must be fired," said Miller.
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