WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today emphasized the need for a cultural change within the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs in a meeting with Robert McDonald, the President’s nominee to become secretary of the department.
 
“From everything that’s come to light, we’re hearing about a department in which a lot of people go along to get along, and that anyone who might question the bureaucratic way of doing things gets pushed aside,” Grassley said.  “That’s true with whistleblowers, who have been retaliated against in many cases, and my impression is it’s also true with other diligent employees who haven’t yet gone out on a limb as whistleblowers and who simply try to do a good job.  I emphasized the importance of changing the culture and respecting the agency mission over the agency apparatus.  Mr. McDonald seemed sincere in his response and his willingness to use his business background to bring about greater respect for individual voices in the agency if he’s confirmed.”
 
Grassley is highly concerned about the poor treatment of employee whistleblowers within the department, as reported in the news media. The treatment is under investigation by the government’s independent Office of Special Counsel.  Grassley is a long-time advocate for employees who see incompetent or fraudulent practices within the federal government or on taxpayers’ behalf and speak up.
 
To address the veterans scandal involving long wait times for medical appointments, Grassley co-sponsored legislation to make it easier for the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs to fire senior employees for performance problems.   He sought details of department leave policy to ensure that employees put on leave over the scandal are not allowed long periods of paid leave, or, in effect, “paid vacations.”  He also sought a thorough inspector general review of the veterans scandal.
 
Grassley met with McDonald in his office in the Hart Senate Office Building today.  Video of the opening of the meeting is available here.  A still photo from the meeting is available here.
 

 

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