Credit: Submitted
Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8) and Congressman Pat Meehan (PA-7) joined VA Under Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey today for a briefing and inspection of the Philadelphia VA Regional Office.
At a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing on July 14, Hickey invited both congressmen for a tour of the facility. The meeting came just weeks after an inspector general report dictated that the Philadelphia VA Regional Office may be responsible for more than $2 million in backlogged benefits.
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Just over a week ago both congressman released photographs snapped by whistleblowers which showed what could be thousands of unanswered veteran mail discovered at the local office in Germantown.
Previous reports indicated that mail from veterans to VA facilities may have been mishandled, ignored or destroyed in the Philadelphia office, as well as regional offices in Baltimore and Oakland.
According to Fitzpatrick, the tour and briefing was part of a continuing effort to increase oversight, transparency and accountability to the agency.
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“While I thank Under Secretary Hickey for the update and tour, the fact remains that the Philadelphia VA – and the agency as a whole – has much work to do in both regaining the trust of veterans and ensuring quality care and timely benefits,” Fitzpatrick said. “Today’s meeting is a step toward encouraging a more open and accountable VA benefit office here in Philadelphia, and a larger message to offices across the nation that the disturbing findings of the OIG report cannot be the new normal.”
On July 16, Fitzpatrick urged an investigation into the Philadelphia VA by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania through a letter.
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