U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), chairman of the U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, on Oct. 31 led an oversight team to visit the Mountain Home VA Medical Center in Tennessee following allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and inappropriate interpersonal relationships at the facility.
Concerns about the medical center were first brought to Rep. Bost in July by U.S. Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal, and later confirmed by whistleblowers, according to committee staff.
Since that time, Rep. Bost has launched an investigation by his committee and sent three letters to VA Secretary Denis McDonough seeking information about the allegations at the Mountain Home VA.
“For months I have been pressuring the Biden-Harris administration to give Congress some answers on what is going on at the Mountain Home VA following disturbing allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and inappropriate relationships that were brought to my attention earlier this year. After months of little to no information and waiting, enough was enough,” Rep. Bost said.
“That’s why this week I deployed my oversight team to investigate the situation firsthand and meet with facility leaders and VA’s workforce on the ground who are reeling from this months-long incident,” he said.
The lawmaker pointed out that while those alleged “to have committed the despicable conduct” are no longer employed with VA, accountability was a day late and a dollar short.
“Further, evidence suggests facility leadership ignored these serious allegations for months,” he said. “This is unacceptable.”
The congressman urged the VA to prioritize its investigation into why facility leadership did not immediately act on these allegations so that Congress, VA’s workforce, and the nation’s veterans have the answers they deserve. “Going forward, I will continue to fight to urge this administration to quickly and permanently hold failing VA employees accountable – for good,” he added.
In addition to the Mountain Home VA allegations, committee staff said that recent sexual harassment and improper interpersonal relationship allegations mishandled by the VA and brought to light by the committee include those against both leadership within the Atlanta VA police force and senior leaders within the VA’s Office of Resolution Management, Diversity, and Inclusion.
In both instances, VA leaders allegedly ignored sexual harassment and other misconduct for months, said committee staff.