Tillis Leads Republican Effort To Expedite VA Response To Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), joined by his Republican colleagues on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), introduced the Ensuring Access to VA Information Necessary for Oversight (INFO) Act, legislation that would simply require the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit responses to questions for the record (QFRs) within 45 business days of receipt. In addition to the 45 business day requirement for providing responses, the legislation requires VA to notify Members at any time during the 45-day period if they anticipate not meeting the deadline along with a justification of the inability, an estimate of when the response will be submitted, and a description of the outstanding steps required before submission.
As SVAC refocuses on oversight this Congress after enacting transformational pieces of legislation, the VA INFO Act would allow for more effective oversight of PACT implementation, the VA MISSION Act, EHRM, the Caregiver Program, and more. It is Congress’ responsibility to provide oversight to ensure federal agencies are operating effectively and efficiently, and the lack of timely responses severely limits Congress’ ability to do so.
“It is unacceptable that the VA routinely keeps members of Congress waiting on responses to questions, which allows the VA to sidestep oversight,” said Senator Tillis. “We need more transparency and accountability, and I’m proud to lead the introduction of the VA INFO Act to promote stronger oversight and ensure veterans are receiving the health care and benefits they have earned and deserve in a timely manner.”
This legislation builds on successful efforts from Senator Tillis last year to ensure the VA is reducing the backlog of FOIA requests.
Co-sponsors include Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Boozman (R-AR), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
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This is the same Tillis who voted AGAINST the 2022 PACT Act (to enhance health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits), the same Tillis to voted in 2019 to transfer $3.8B from the military and VA to fund the border wall (of which, to date, less than 16% has been completed), the same Tillis who skipped a 2014 VA hearing to attend a fundraiser instead. Anyone who supports this RINO should be ashamed of themself! #VoteOutIncumbents
When are we going to pass an ACT for oversight of Congress and Senate? I know we can vote them out, but the problem is they won’t answer questions while they are in.
@FDT: If people STOPPED voting for a party and instead voted for a person, we wouldn’t have the problems we do. However, with a 94% re-election rate for incumbents, it is obvious that the overwhelming majority of voters treat their ballot as a defensive measure (to stop the other side) instead of actually voting for progress. WE THE PEOPLE need to take responsibility for the bozos we send to congress and keep re-electing — the sitting .members of congress surely aren’t going to do anything! #VoteOutIncumbents
@Tell the truth I agree with you, but unfortunately the electorate is not intelligent enough to understand that. We now live in a MeMeMe society with elected Idoits that only care about getting re-elected not about this country. It’s our own fault we keep re-electing these Dummies, and they are putting this country on the road to dictatorship.
#TermLimits