Inspector general reports several department programs improperly spend funds.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General reported that the department recorded nearly $3.5 billion of unexplained expenses in the 2022 fiscal year. Much of the unexplained expenses were made through unknown or unexplained payments including veterans’ pensions, long-term services, and support. Of those losses, about $1.4 billion could not be accounted for at all.
This is a reduction in unexplained losses compared to previous years. In 2020, the VA recorded $11.37 billion in unexplained expenses. In 2021, it was $5.12 billion.
Even with this reduction of unexplained expenses, federal legislators are disturbed by the lack of transparency and accountability in the department’s financial decisions. Representative Mike Bost of Illinois, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said that it “damages VA’s credibility and invites questions about the extent of potential waste, fraud, and abuse.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Denis McDonough as he addresses waste and fiscal irresponsibility in the VA.
- For Chairman Bost as he leads his committee in the oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sources: Military.com, MOAA
