U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL) called on the Biden administration to respond to a second inquiry from his committee regarding allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and inappropriate interpersonal relationships at the Mountain Home Tennessee VA Medical Center.
“Since the committee’s first letter… on this topic, on July 25, 2024, whistleblowers have been in communication with committee staff and provided further details” on these and additional allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and improper interpersonal relationships at the Mountain Home VA, “which facility leadership allegedly did not address properly, that were previously unknown to committee staff,” according to an Aug. 9 letter Rep. Bost and Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) sent to VA Secretary Denis McDonough.
“This new information is extremely disturbing and leads the committee to believe there may be a serious culture problem at the Mountain Home VA,” the members wrote.
To further the committee’s investigation into the allegations, Rep. Bost and his colleague requested that McDonough answer several questions, including how many claims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and/or improper interpersonal relationships have been reported to facility leaders or other officials at the Mountain Home VA, and whether any administrative investigative boards have researched the allegations, among others.