Letter to Robert McDonald, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs - Answers on Construction Delays, Cost Overruns at Colorado VA Hospital
Letter
March 10, 2015
The Honorable Robert A. McDonald
Secretary
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Secretary McDonald:
The VA notified Congress in responses to House Veterans' Affairs Committee pre-hearing questions for the February 11, 2015 budget hearing, that it would need an interim increase in the funding authorization cap and a reprogramming of about $200 to $240 million from other VA projects to continue construction of the replacement Denver VA Medical Center. Work on this project is estimated to cease on March 29, 2015, without additional funding. As you are aware, Congress originally authorized and appropriated $800 million to build the replacement Denver VA Medical Center. To date, you have provided Congress no report on the need for a cap increase, any analysis for the cost overruns or updates on efforts to hold properly accountable those responsible. To consider any further funding authorization cap increase and reprogramming request, we ask that you respond to the following questions:
1. We have been informed that, as of February 26, VA has already reprogrammed over $56 million from other sources to accommodate some of the additional funds that will be needed to complete the project in Denver. Please identify any other sources of funds in addition to the $56 million which have been reprogrammed to date.
2. Please identify any further reprogramming you may request, the specific facilities impacted and the amount of funding from each facility. Also, identify what delays, if any, will be associated with the reprogramming of funds from these other facilities.
3. Please provide the Committees with an update on the progress of the administrative investigation board review that was convened in January to investigate mismanagement and misconduct concerning the replacement Denver VA Medical Center. This progress report should also include a timeline and summary of actions that VA has taken to ensure accountability in this matter including but not limited to the convening of the administrative investigation board, information on when you anticipate the administrative investigation board will complete its work, and when subsequent disciplinary actions, as appropriate, could be expected. In the case of serious misconduct by senior executives, we fully expect the Department to take action using the enhanced authority that Congress has provided in Public Law 113-146, "Choice Act." Once the investigation is completed, we expect you to provide the Committees with a list of who has been, or will be, held accountable for the problems that occurred on this project. Please include the names of the individuals, the reasoning behind the decision to hold each accountable, and what employment actions will be taken against them.
4. Further, the Committees understand that the Army Corps of Engineers is conducting an independent detailed examination of VA's major construction programs in order to make recommendations that can improve processes, structures, and controls related to project delivery and oversight. Please provide the Committee with an update on this review, with specific regard to the replacement Denver VA Medical Center.
We ask that you respond to these questions and provide any additional information you have concerning the status of the replacement Denver VA Medical Center by no later than Monday, March 16, 2015.
Thank you for your prompt consideration to our request.
Sincerely,
Jeff Miller
Johnny Isakson
Richard Blumenthal
Corrine Brown
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