US House Rep Jeff Miller (above) is the Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. His office issued the following statement Friday:
Chairman Miller Statement on Resignation of VA Under Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey
Oct 16, 2015
WASHINGTON
– Following the resignation of Department of Veterans Affairs Under
Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey, Chairman Miller released the
below statement.
“Although Allison Hickey deserves credit for her military service and willingness to work on behalf of our nation’s veterans, she was not cut out for the job of VA Under Secretary for Benefits. She leaves the department amid a damning office of inspector general report linking her to a scheme in which senior Veterans Benefits Administration officials abused their authority, resulting in the misuse of hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. And though VA statistics show the disability benefits backlog shrank on her watch, those figures must be taken with a healthy grain of salt in light of assertions from prominent veterans groups and even VA’s own inspector general that the department’s backlog numbers are not to be trusted. Right now, VBA needs a leader who will put veterans – not VA bureaucrats first – while working to end the backlog without sacrificing quality, accuracy or service to veterans. Unfortunately, Hickey was not that type of leader.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Related
Administrative Investigation: Inappropriate Use of Position and Misuse of Relocation Program and Incentives in VBA
VA Inspector General Doesn't Trust VA's Backlog Numbers
American Legion: VA Accuracy Claims Make us Chuckle
“Although Allison Hickey deserves credit for her military service and willingness to work on behalf of our nation’s veterans, she was not cut out for the job of VA Under Secretary for Benefits. She leaves the department amid a damning office of inspector general report linking her to a scheme in which senior Veterans Benefits Administration officials abused their authority, resulting in the misuse of hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. And though VA statistics show the disability benefits backlog shrank on her watch, those figures must be taken with a healthy grain of salt in light of assertions from prominent veterans groups and even VA’s own inspector general that the department’s backlog numbers are not to be trusted. Right now, VBA needs a leader who will put veterans – not VA bureaucrats first – while working to end the backlog without sacrificing quality, accuracy or service to veterans. Unfortunately, Hickey was not that type of leader.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Related
Administrative Investigation: Inappropriate Use of Position and Misuse of Relocation Program and Incentives in VBA
VA Inspector General Doesn't Trust VA's Backlog Numbers
American Legion: VA Accuracy Claims Make us Chuckle