House Veterans Affairs Committee

The Department of Veterans Affairs said it has the right leadership and contractors in place this time to resolve the department’s longstanding IT issues and prepare for Forever GI bill implementation.

In today’s Federal Newscast, a bipartisan group in the House Veterans Affairs Committee wants more information about VA’s plans to curb sexual harassment.

IT at the Department of Veterans Affairs took center stage on Capitol Hill Tuesday, as the House Veterans Affairs Committee held two hearings in attempt to better understand the agency’s long list of challenges.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has six months to consolidate disparate community care programs into one, revamped veterans choice program. But lawmakers are concerned VA won’t successfully meet its deadlines amid a “constant churn” of agency leadership.

The Veterans Benefits Administration announced plans to reset its implementation of portions of the Forever GI Act, but the approach sparked confusion from some lawmakers.

Lawmakers on the House Veterans Affairs Committee said they’re still looking for more answers about VA’s budget, staffing and leadership plans for its massive, 10-year electronic health record modernization effort.

A nomination hearing for chief information officer at the Veterans Affairs Department comes as half of senior leadership positions within the VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Office are empty.

New House Veterans Affairs Technology Modernization Subcommittee Chairman Jim Banks (R-Ind.) offered a preview of his oversight plans for VA’s electronic health record initiative.

In today’s Federal Newscast, the House and Senate could not agree on a provision in the 2019 defense authorization bill calling for $40,000 Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments for federal employees.

Preparations for a new appeals process at the Veterans Benefits Administration are two-thirds of the way complete, but IT upgrades have fallen behind.