Press Releases

Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), released a second letter the Committee sent to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough regarding allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and inappropriate interpersonal relationships at the Mountain Home, Tennessee VA Medical Center (Mountain Home VA) that were brought to the Committee’s attention by VA employees. To date, the Biden-Harris administration has not responded to this inquiry. To allow the Committee to fully investigate these disturbing allegations, VA should begin immediately providing answers to this inquiry on a rolling basis.

“Since the Committee’s first letter to [Secretary McDonough] on this topic, on July 25, 2024, whistleblowers have been in communication with Committee staff and provided further details on the allegations and information regarding additional allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and improper interpersonal relationships at the Mountain Home VA, which facility leadership allegedly did not address properly, that were previously unknown to Committee staff. This new information is extremely disturbing and leads the Committee to believe there may be a serious culture problem at the Mountain Home VA.”

Under Chairman Bost’s leadership, the Committee has repeatedly uncovered VA’s mismanagement of serious misconduct allegations, including allegations of sexual harassment and improper interpersonal relationships, through oversight visits and talking to whistleblowers. In addition to the Mountain Home VA allegations, recent sexual harassment and improper interpersonal relationship allegations mishandled by VA, and brought to light by the Committee, include allegations against leadership within the Atlanta VA police force, and allegations against senior leaders within VA’s Office of Resolution Management, Diversity & Inclusion (ORMDI). In both instances, senior leaders at VA allegedly ignored sexual harassment and other misconduct for months. With the recent Mountain Home VA allegations, it appears VA leadership may have, yet again, failed to adequately address serious allegations.

To read the first letter that was sent to Secretary McDonough on these allegations in July, click here. Full text of the second letter regarding the Mountain Home VA allegations can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary McDonough:

As you know, we are deeply concerned about the sexual harassment, sexual assault, and inappropriate interpersonal relationship allegations coming from the Mountain Home Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Mountain Home VA). Since Chairman Bost’s first letter to you on this topic, on July 25, 2024, whistleblowers have been in communication with Committee staff and provided further details on the allegations and information regarding additional allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and improper interpersonal relationships at the Mountain Home VA, which facility leadership allegedly did not address properly, that were previously unknown to Committee staff. This new information is extremely disturbing and leads us to believe there may be a serious culture problem at the Mountain Home VA.

To further our investigation into these allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and improper interpersonal relationships at Mountain Home VA, please provide no later than Friday, August 30, 2024, responses to the following questions, including copies of all responsive documents.

1. How many claims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and/or improper interpersonal relationships have been reported to facility leaders or other facility officials at the Mountain Home VA?
a. To whom were these claims reported and when?
b. Have Administrative Investigative Boards (AIB) or any other investigative body been convened to investigate these allegations? If so, what is the timeline for completion of those investigations?
c. For those claims for which AIBs or other investigations have been completed, what were the outcomes of those investigations?
d. Are there any claims currently under review? Are any additional claims pending assignment of an AIB or other investigative body?

2. Please provide copies of all documentation, including all written communications, related to any allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or improper interpersonal relationships against [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED].

3. Please provide copies of all documentation, including all written communications, related to any Administrative Investigations Board (AIB), fact finding, and any other internal investigations related to any accusations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or improper interpersonal relationships against [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED].

4. Are [REDACTED], [REDACTED], or [REDACTED] currently employed at VA in any capacity? If so, please provide the duty station to which the individual is assigned and the individual’s job title and position description. Please indicate whether this individual works in a remote capacity or in-person at a VA facility, and if this individual is in a supervisory or non-supervisory role.

5. Was the VHA Assault and Harassment Prevention Office (AHPO) consulted at any point when allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and improper relationships were brought forward at the Mountain Home VA? If so, please explain how AHPO was engaged in resolving issues related to alleged sexual harassment, sexual assault, or improper interpersonal relationships at Mountain Home VAMC. Please provide any written directives, policies, or other guidance documents covering AHPO functions, roles, and responsibilities.

6. Please identify when Mountain Home VA’s Director, Associate Director, and Associate Director for Patient Care Services first became aware, if at all, of the allegations against [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED].

When producing documents, please do not alter them in any way, including but not limited to application of redactions or a watermark. Additionally, digital copies should be provided in a format that enables their printing and copying by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. Please do not hesitate to have your staff contact mine with any questions.

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