Rep. LaMalfa Comments on VA Abuse of Relocation Expense Fund
Washington, DC - Representative Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) today released the following statement on a new report from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report that shows the VA has abused the relocation program for its senior executive service.
"Earlier this year I participated in a hearing on mismanagement at the Oakland and Philadelphia VA regional offices," said LaMalfa. "I am grateful to Chairman Jeff Miller for allowing me to sit in. During this hearing, whistleblowers presented lots of disturbing testimony about systematic abuses within the VA including the claims made about abuse of the VA relocation funds. This OIG report is yet another shoe to drop on the gross mismanagement at the VA. I will continue to keep a close eye on the fallout from this important hearing and make sure we continue to hold the VA accountable for its failures."
A copy of the VA OIG's report titled, "Inappropriate Use of Position and Misuse of Relocation Program and Incentives" may be found here.
The conclusion of the report reads in part, "We determined that Ms. Rubens and Ms. Graves inappropriately used their positions of authority for personal and financial benefit when they participated personally and substantially in creating opportunities for their own transfers to positions they were interested in filling. We made criminal referrals to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia, regarding official actions orchestrated by Ms. Rubens and Ms. Graves. Formal decisions regarding prosecutorial merit are pending."
During her time as Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations Ms. Rubens was responsible for overseeing all VA regional offices including Oakland which did not process and improperly stored 13,184 informal benefits claims. These abuses were brought to the attention of Congressman LaMalfa by whistleblowers and verified in an OIG report earlier this year. Additional reports on the Oakland VA and informal claims are expected in the coming months.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California's First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
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