Good
afternoon
-
One
of
my
top
priorities
in
the
Senate
is
to
eliminate
wasteful
spending
and
inefficiency
throughout
the
federal
government. With
each
Iowan’s
share
of
the
national
debt
exceeding
$59,000,
we
cannot
afford
to
continue
bankrolling
Washington’s
reckless
spending
habits.
That’s
why
each
month,
I
research
and
identify
areas
of
waste,
abuse,
and
inefficiency
and
give
out
the Squeal
Award.
Squeal
Award:
Eliminating
VA
Waste
&
Abuse
It’s
no
secret
that
there
is
deep
corruption,
waste,
and
abuse
across
the
U.S.
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
(VA).
I
have
made
clear
that
we
simply
cannot
look
the
other
way
as
continued
misconduct
and
poor
care
continue
without
repercussions.
Our
veterans
have
selflessly
sacrificed
in
defense
of
our
freedoms
and
deserve
better;
they
deserve
nothing
less
than
timely
and
quality
care.
So,
when
an
employee
is
ineffective
or
does
something
wrong,
that
individual
must
be
held
accountable
and
certainly
should
not
be
rewarded.
Unfortunately,
the
U.S.
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
(VA)
seems
to
think
otherwise.
Last
month,
I
offered
several
amendments
to
the
Military
Construction
and
Veterans
Affairs
and
Related
Agencies
Appropriations
Act
that
would
address
these
abuses. Here
are
a
few
examples:
- Unfortunately,
we
have
heard
too
many
instances
of
VA’s
employees
who
have
been
put
on
paid
administrative
leave
which
is
basically
paid
vacation
-
for
sexually
abusing
female
patients,
drunk
driving
accidents,
taking
drug
addicted
patients
to
obtain
illegal
narcotics,
and
failing
to
do
their
job.
This
is
absolutely
absurd,
which
is
why
I
offered
legislation
that
would
prohibit
Congressional
funding
in
these
circumstances.
- Did
you
know
that
the
VA
has
already
spent
over
$6.3
million
on
sculptures
and
fountains,
including
a
$483,000
rock
sculpture
outside
of
Palo
Alto?
This
type
of
out-of-control
spending
must
be
curbed.
That’s
why
I
offered
a
measure
to
prohibit
funding
for
the
procurement
of
art
work
or
art
related
consulting
services
until
the
Secretary
of
the
VA
alerts
Congress
that
the
appointment
backlogs
for
veterans
seeking
primary
care
has
been
eliminated.
- As
our
veterans
wait
to
receive
assistance
with
their
benefits,
the
Veterans
Benefits
Administration
(VBA)
spent
nearly
$2
million
transferring
their
executives
across
the
country,
with
lavish
pay
increases
and
a
relocation
expense
program
that
is
abused.
I
offered
a
proposal
to
withhold
all
funds
dedicated
to
VBA
senior
executives’
bonuses
and
instead,
direct
that
money
towards
reducing
the
veteran
disability
appeals
claim
backlog.
Click
here to
read
about
more
of
the
proposals
I
put
forward.
While
its
executives
have
not
earned
their
bonuses,
the
VA
has
engaged
in
more
than
enough
waste
and
abuse
to
earn
this
month's Squeal
Award.
Do
you
have
an
example
of
government
waste
or
inefficiencies
that
I
should
take
a
look
at?
Send
me
an
email
by clicking
here.
Thank
you!
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