GOP requests oversight hearings in Veterans Affairs scandal
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Senator Richard Burr is calling for accountability in the Veterans Affairs scandal.
Burr was highly critical of President Barack Obama's reaction to the scandal Wednesday, and now he is calling for oversight hearings.
Burr and five other Republicans signed a letter demanding the Senate's VA Committee hold several hearings. They want to look into a number of problems -- including the quality of healthcare and how the VA charts its performance.
The letter comes a day after Burr criticized the president for saying he wanted to wait for the inspector general to conclude its investigation before acting.
Burr -- the senior Republican on the Senate VA Committee -- called the president out-of-touch, saying he is ignoring more than five years' worth of previous investigations.
The inspector general is investigating more than 24 VA hospitals, including the one in Durham, following reports that VA workers in Phoenix created secret lists to look more efficient -- all while dozens of veterans died while waiting for care.
"It is obvious from the recent VA scandals that the department desperately needs vigorous oversight," said Burr in the letter. "It is our mission as a committee to provide oversight and yet the chairman has chosen to ignore requests for hearings. My fellow minority members and I hope that this letter will be heard and acted on swiftly."
North Carolina Democratic Senator Kay Hagan is chiming in too. She said, "I have personally been in direct communication with the VA in recent days regarding the investigations at the Durham VA clinic and elsewhere and will continue working to ensure full transparency and accountability in the process. We must keep the promises made to the men and women who have served our country with honor and distinction."
Right now, the current director of the Phoenix VA Health Care system is on leave, while the VA inspector general investigates claims several former VA employees raised
