WASHINGTON, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) sent a letter to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough this week expressing his concerns about the failure in leadership at the Sioux Falls VA (SFVA) and the Veterans Integrated Services Network 23 (VISN 23).
The letter follows up on a recent meeting between Rounds and McDonough, where they discussed ongoing issues at the SFVA. Specifically, Rounds made McDonough aware that whistleblowers who have contacted his congressional office with concerns of a hostile work environment have alleged retaliation by their superiors. This type of behavior would violate federal law. In the letter, Rounds calls for McDonough to appropriately address these concerns which ultimately result in diminished patient care.
You can read the letter HERE and below.
Dear Secretary McDonough:
I’d like to follow up with you on the meeting that took place in my office on March 21, 2022. As I expressed during our discussion, I am deeply concerned with the failure of leadership at the Sioux Falls Veterans Affairs Health Care System (SFVA) and the Veterans Integrated Services Network 23 (VISN 23). This failure is causing employees’ rights to be violated and quality patient care to suffer. Our veterans have earned and deserve the best health care our country can provide. The SFVA was once known as the “Gem of the Prairie” for the first-class health care it provided to our veterans, but unfortunately, those days have disappeared....
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