On the recordSeptember 30, 2015
I rise today to express my concern and disgust at recent revelations of improper and dishonest conduct by senior executives at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including the director of the St. Paul office of the Veterans Benefits Administration. According to a report released by the VA's Office of the Inspector General this week, two Veterans Benefits Administration executives used their positions to assign themselves to different jobs that involved fewer responsibilities while maintaining their high salaries. One of them has been the director of the VBA St. Paul regional office since October of 2014. The inspector general found that the St. Paul VBA director used her influence as director of the VBA Eastern Area Office to compel the relocation of the previous St. Paul office director. She then proceeded to submit her own name for consideration to fill the vacancy she herself had created. Taking on the job of directing the St. Paul regional office was actually a step down in responsibility for this administrator. In the inspector general's words, she ``went from being responsible for oversight of 16 [regional offices] to being responsible for only 1 [regional office].'' But she kept her previous senior executive service salary of $173,949 per year. She also received over $129,000 in relocation expenses. So look at this: She had a responsible job managing 16 regional offices. She created an opening by transferring the person under her.…
