The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General plays a critical role in ensuring proper and efficient oversight of the Department’s activities.

In the first half of fiscal year 2010, from October 2009 to March 2010, the OIG issued 120 reports, identified nearly $673 million in monetary benefits, and conducted work that resulted in 232 administrative sanctions.

It is evident by these numbers, that the high-quality of OIG’s work is essential in rooting out fraud, waste and abuse within the VA.

Today, we will examine the progress that the Department of Veterans Affairs is making in complying with the OIG’s recommendations. 

Currently, the Office of Inspector General has a total of 115 open reports with almost 694 open recommendations that have yet to be implemented by the VA.

The OIG’s target date for implementation of these recommendations is within a year of publication. 

Although most of these open recommendations are on track to be completed within the one year timeframe, 16 reports containing 45 open recommendations are over one year old.

Additionally, recommendations on VA information security issues, tracked by an independent auditor show that there are almost 40 open recommendations, 34 of which are carried over from prior years.

The timely implementation of these recommendations is crucial to ensuring our nation’s veterans receive the best care.  Many of these recommendations play a critical role in ensuring patient safety and safeguarding veteran’s information.

Additionally, timely implementation not only reflects good management, but it always reflects a responsible use of taxpayer money.  The monetary benefit yet to be realized by these recommendations going un-implemented is almost $92 million.

During the country’s difficult financial time brought on by the recession, the VA must realize cost savings anywhere practical.  This can be done straightforwardly through the elimination of waste and by acting to correct the issues identified in the OIG’s recommendations in a timely manner.   

The Office of Management and Administration’s Operations Division is tasked with follow-up reporting and tracking of OIG report recommendations while ensuring that all allegations made by the OIG are effectively monitored and resolved in a timely, efficient and impartial manner.  I am pleased that they are here today with Deputy Inspector General Griffin to share with the Committee their insights on this issue.

The OIG’s reports for follow-up procedures are an essential component to the oversight process.  Secretary Shinseki has said many times before this Committee the importance of accountability and ensuring veterans care comes first. 

The VA must be held accountable for implementing the OIG’s recommendations in a timely manner, and make certain our nation’s veterans are receiving the quality of care that is reflective of their service and sacrifice.