Ann Kirkpatrick

Thank you. Was it your testimony that it takes you 25 days to notify the veteran that their personal information may have been compromised?

Can you provide for the Committee how many times the system has been hacked since the beginning of this year?

I have a concern in your audit report. You say that you are concerned with a lack of human resources.

When you issue a report, do you actually have a conversation with leadership at the VA about what needs to be implemented?

Do you think that the CRISP program is helping them address those vulnerabilities more quickly?

You testified that there's a 10-year period of weakness and vulnerability.

The VA must address the concerns raised and assure veterans who come to the VA for assistance that their personal information is secure.

I share the Chairman's concern on whether VA is following the required government practices and policies regarding the monitoring and remediation of system risk.

Veterans need to know that when they ask the VA for services and benefits that they have earned, the information they submit in order to get those benefits will not be compromised under any circumstances.

As the Department of Veterans Affairs works hard to serve the needs of today's veterans, they must work equally hard to protect their personal information.

Delayed care is denied care for our veterans.

It appears that the CRC made a recommendation, actually looked at the process for change orders...

Chairman Coffman and Ranking Member Kirkpatrick, and Members of the Subcommittee, this completes my prepared statement.

Does SCIP apply to these four major projects that we are looking at in Las Vegas, Denver, Orlando and New Orleans?

Delayed care is denied care.

In all fairness to you, can you identify differences in your procedure between the private sector and the VA that would explain these huge delays in construction?

Does that delay then the decision on the change order?

My time is almost expired, but I want to ask one other question, and that is, where does the CRC then fit in the whole scheme of things?

Do you agree with Mr. Kelley's recommendation that they go to an architect-design-build rather than just a regular design-build model?

Clearly there is a need for VA to scrutinize their construction program processes and make improvements where it may be necessary to do so.

The focus on the construction program of the Department of Veterans Affairs is one that needs to remain a top priority for this Subcommittee and necessary to ensure that veterans' needs are being met.

So how would you explain the bad relationship that apparently exists between the contractor and the VA that ends up with these show cause hearings and orders to cure?

So why is that relationship a problem at the VA?

Well, let me just request that you do focus somewhat on the rural areas because all those veterans are really lacking in the delivery of services.

I am afraid that veterans are going to be turned away from these rural clinics.