Even though the election is over, Republican lawmakers still want answers from Department of Veterans Affairs officials about how they plan to better secure the medical and benefits data of the candidates’ veterans ahead of future campaigns.
Earlier this fall, VA officials confirmed that the Justice Department is investigating several federal staffers for improperly accessing the veterans data of vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance during the controversial summer campaign.
In a statement Friday, VA press secretary Terrence Hayes said department leaders continue to work with investigators on the matter and will “take prompt and appropriate action to discipline VA employees who attempted to improperly access veterans data.”
VA employees unlawfully viewed the health records of both VP candidates
But in a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough earlier this month, a group of eight Republican senators led by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas expressed concern that the matter remains uncertain even after votes were counted in the presidential election.
“The repeated, unauthorized access to veterans’ medical records by VA employees is a serious breach of trust that requires swift and decisive action,” the group wrote. “We urge you to take immediate action to protect the medical privacy of every veteran in the VA system and prevent such activities in the future.”
The senators asked for more information about the security measures and policy changes implemented after the security breach to ensure similar intrusions do not occur again.
Hayes said that after being notified of the allegations of improper access to the data, VA leaders restricted access to all data on Walz and Vance’s use of department services. They also increased scrutiny of those files and distributed a message to the entire staff warning against improperly viewing veterans’ private data.
“Every VA employee is required to complete annual comprehensive training on when and how to access veterans’ medical records, if at all,” Hayes said. “These trainings also make clear the serious consequences if this data is not used appropriately, including disciplinary action that may include termination and reporting to law enforcement authorities.”
Vance, now the vice president-elect, spoke during the campaign about using VA health care after leaving active duty. He served in the Marine Corps for four years. Walz, the current governor of Minnesota, served in the Army National Guard for 24 years.
Federal officials did not say how many employees had access to the vice presidential candidates’ data. The senators suggested in their letter that as many as a dozen VA employees may have viewed them, without proper justification.
