President Trump signed an executive action on Thursday to create an “Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection” at the Department of Veterans Affairs, a move aimed at allowing VA leadership to identify areas of misconduct or duplication within the agency workforce.
“With the creation of this office, we are sending a strong message: those who fail our veterans will be held, for the first time, accountable,” Trump said during a signing ceremony at the VA headquarters, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and VA Secretary David Shulkin.
Trump recalled the wait time scandal that rocked the VA in 2014 and led to the resignation of then-VA Secretary Eric Shinseki. He noted many veterans continue to struggle with receiving timely appointments at their VA hospitals and referenced the “veterans who died before going to the doctor.”
Several whistleblowers were in at the VA along with Trump as he spoke. The president said the VA would also attempt to “reward and retain” the employees who perform well, and said many VA workers are performing well.
But he also called on the Senate to pass pending accountability legislation, already approved by the House, that would give Shulkin more authority to remove low-performing employees or those accused of misconduct.
Trump focused heavily on veterans’ issues during the presidential race, and he vowed to strip the VA of workers who fall short of the agency’s standards.
The executive action was one of several Trump has signed and promoted this week as the White House works to drum up enthusiasm at the end of his first 100 days.
