Kuster Leads First Hearing of the Year for Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-NH, helped lead the first hearing of the year for the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (O&I). Last year, Kuster helped oversee an investigation on the mismanagement scandals at the Phoenix VA and other VA medical centers around the country. Kuster was then selected by her colleagues to serve as Ranking Member of the House O&I Subcommittee, where she will continue her oversight work and have increased authority to hold the VA accountable.

Yesterday’s Subcommittee hearing focused on the practice of land-use agreements between the VA and non-VA entities. Many VA medical centers around the country enter into land-use agreements that are meant to be mutually beneficial for the VA and for the entities leasing VA land. However, a 2014 GAO report showed there are multiple problems with these agreements, including deficient billing and collecting infrastructure at the VA, which in some cases has resulted in revenue loss for the VA and compromised services for veterans. During yesterday’s hearing, Kuster questioned VA officials and representatives from the GAO and the American Legion regarding the wasted land-use agreements.

“Our veterans deserve the highest quality of care, and these land-use agreements were meant to help the VA by providing increased revenue and additional benefits to veterans. It is unconscionable that because of administrative mismanagement, many of these agreements are actually causing the VA to lose money – money that should be spent on veteran services,” said Kuster. “My focus during this hearing was to urge VA officials to lay out a concrete plan for overhauling the system, so we can ensure that all VA land-use agreements make financial sense and that the VA is always properly compensated. I’m working with the VA to set up a follow up hearing with the O&I Subcommittee, so we can review the VA’s Master Plan release in October and confirm that adequate adjustments have been made to address this problem.”

Kuster has served on the U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee since taking office in 2013. She was recently selected to serve as the Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs O&I Subcommittee. The daughter of a WWII veteran, Kuster has long advocated for the needs of New Hampshire veterans, and she frequently holds veteran roundtables, forums, and job fairs for Granite State veterans when she is back in the district.

Submitted text and courtesy photo.