Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing on Whistleblowing and Retaliation in the Department of Veterans Affairs CHAIRMAN TERRY EVERETT CLOSING STATEMENT I want to thank all of our witnesses for appearing today, particularly those who came to share their personal experiences as whistleblowers. There is no point in pretending they have faced anything other than a hard road as the result of their courage. On behalf of the Subcommittee, I thank them for their acts to protect our veterans and taxpayers from fraud, waste, and abuse. Their only reward has been trouble and I am sorry for that. They deserve much better. I hope that this hearing and what results from it will improve the situation for them and other whistleblowers in the VA.I intend to ask the General Accounting Office, the independent investigative arm of Congress, to review and report on the effectiveness of the whistleblower protections provided to VA health care professionals when the Whistleblower Protection Act was amended in 1994 to include them. Changing the law does not necessarily mean protection automatically followed. More appears to be necessary. I also call upon the VA to give whistleblowers the protection that they deserve and to hold retaliators accountable. I can promise you this Subcommittee is not going lose interest in these issues. Back to News of the Hearing on |