Amata Highlights Bipartisan VA Oversight Bills

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata in a Wednesday hearing focused on two bipartisan VA oversight bills, which she helped introduce earlier this month with sponsor Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York. The legislative hearing of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations examined a number of bills, including the two Rice-Amata VA reform bills.

'This examination is an important step for this legislation to move through Congress, so it can put this increased VA accountability into practice, and put Veterans first,' said Congresswoman Amata. 'It's part of our national commitment to our Veterans to continue a necessary focus on constructive oversight, accountability and transparency.'

Amata in the American Samoa Congressional Office in Washington for two hearings.

These bills are the Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act (H.R. 2428), and the VA Police Improvement and Accountability Act (H.R. 2429), introduced by Rep. Rice and Rep. Amata earlier this month.

In summary, one bill would provide the VA Office of Inspector General with tools and subpoena authority to detect and investigate possible instances of waste, fraud, and abuse. The other legislation directs VA police transparency reforms.

Congresswoman Amata taking part remotely in Veterans hearing on April 21.

Video is available here of Congresswoman Amata's questions to Mr. Christopher Wilber, Counsel to the Inspector General of the VA, and his analysis and support for what these two bills accomplish.

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