Department of Veterans Affairs
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In today's Federal Newscast, the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general explains to Congress how the agency might have been taken for over a billion dollars.
June 01, 2017 -
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin delivered his diagnosis of the department in a "State of the VA" briefing before reporters Wednesday morning. He outlined 13 areas where the department needs to improve and the legislative and administrative fixes it needs in order to see progress.
May 31, 2017 -
The Veterans Affairs Department may get a big budget boost in fiscal 2018 under the president's proposal. Most of the additional funding will go toward health care, both in and outside the department. But the budget proposal does suggest cuts, and lawmakers said they're concerned by possible spending reductions to VA information technology and medical research.
May 24, 2017 -
In today's Federal Newscast, three federal agencies launch a new network to quickly relay information about individuals considered a threat to police officers.
May 22, 2017 -
The Government Accountability Office found that the Veterans Affairs Department doesn't have a very effective process for aligning facilities and capital investments. Debra Draper, director of health care issues at the GAO, shares the details on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.
May 18, 2017 -
Both the Veterans Affairs and Justice departments believe they can easily resolve some concerns with the constitutionality of the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection. DoJ is concerned, however, that VA will run into the same issues that ultimately rendered a controversial provision on firing senior executives unconstitutional.
May 18, 2017 -
Members of Congress are talking a lot about civil service reform these days. A bill introduced in the Senate, called the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, would put most managers under title 38, taking away some civil service protections. Bob Tobias, a professor in the Key Executive Leadership program at American University, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss the long view.
May 17, 2017 -
The Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which senators introduced last week, may have more momentum than previous bills. It now has 12 co-sponsors, including four Democrats and VA Secretary David Shulkin himself. Yet some federal employee groups and experts question whether the new bill has the teeth to truly tackle long entrenched cultural problems at the department.
May 16, 2017 -
The Veterans Affairs Department will hold the second annual Brain Trust conference this week. The conference is devoted to the latest in treating head trauma and traumatic brain injury while bringing together people from the VA and several private sector organizations. Matt Collier, senior advisor to VA Secretary David Shulkin, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to provide further details.
May 16, 2017 -
Members of the Senate have reached a long awaited agreement on new accountability procedures for senior executives and employees within the Veterans Affairs Department. A bipartisan group of senators introduced the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act Thursday morning. It would change current disciplinary appeals rights for both SES and rank-and-file employees.
May 11, 2017 -
It's Public Service Recognition Week, and some agencies are taking the time to say "Thank you" to the federal workforce that makes it all happen.
May 10, 2017 -
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld an appeal from Sharon Helman, the former director of the beleaguered Veterans Affairs medical center in Phoenix, Arizona, who was fired in 2014. The court said a key provision that lets VA more quickly fire and discipline senior executives is unconstitutional. The Merit Systems Protection Board will review the original decision an administrative judge made regarding Helman's removal.
May 09, 2017 -
Cabinet secretaries, many of whom are newcomers to government, say they're impressed by the dedication and hard work they've seen from colleagues at the career levels of their agencies within the first 100 days of the Trump administration. They offered their congratulations to the 26 finalists of the Partnership for Public Service's prestigious Service to America Medals.
May 09, 2017 -
VA's facilities planning processes leave it with millions of square feet of empty and decaying space.
May 09, 2017 -
VA says it wants to significantly expand the health care services it offers through telehealth technologies — voice, video, instantaneous record-sharing — but it's hampered by state laws that require providers to be licensed in the same states as their patients.
May 08, 2017