Filner: VA finds problems but cannot fix them

[unhappycamper]

Filner: VA finds problems but cannot fix them
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 9, 2010 12:15:41 EDT

The Veterans Affairs Department is good at finding waste and inefficiency, but it could be faster to take action to fix these problems, according to testimony at a Wednesday congressional oversight hearing.

Since October, the VA inspector general has issued 120 reports containing 232 recommendations for saving $673 million, said Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., the House Veterans Affairs Committee chairman. That is good news, he said, showing the VA IG is doing “high-quality” and “essential” work.

However, VA has 124 open reports with a combined 756 recommendations, including 16 reports with 45 recommendations that are more than one year old, said Richard Griffin, the VA’s deputy inspector general. The oldest open report dates back to Sept. 30, 2005, he said.

“The monetary benefit yet to be realized by these recommendations going unimplemented approaches $100 million,” Filner said.

Filner and other committee members said delays need to be minimized, especially at a time when governmentwide cost cutting is underway. “During the country’s difficult financial time brought on by the recession, the VA must realize cost savings anywhere practical,” he said. Savings from eliminating waste and inefficiency could reduce pressure to cut programs, he said.

[xchrom]

1. That's a flaw. And it seems like there is piece missing

Between the report, recommendations and
implimentation.