Kirkpatrick’s legislation would move the responsibility for dealing with whistleblowers to the Office of the VA Secretary so that whistleblower reports and patient complaints are handled at the very highest level rather than at local facilities. Within the VA Secretary’s Office, the legislation would establish an Office of Whistleblower and Patient Protection to provide a much-needed, robust investigatory arm to take action on allegations regarding whistleblower retaliation and patient safety.

The office would:

• Create in one place a national hotline and Web site for VA employees to anonymously submit whistleblower retaliation complaints and for patients to anonymously submit complaints regarding patient safety and treatment at VA medical facilities.

• Investigate patient complaints and serve as the only VA office permitted to investigate whistleblower retaliation complaints. It would report the results of its investigations and recommend actions to the VA Secretary.

• Work closely with the VA Office of Inspector General and the Office of Special Counsel to ensure complaints are properly investigated and to prevent duplicate investigations.

• Establish twice-yearly reports from the VA Secretary to Congress on findings, recommendations and actions taken on whistleblower retaliation complaints to provide Congress with the information to ensure the VA is taking necessary actions to protect whistleblowers and look into allegations promptly and thoroughly.

In Tuesday’s hearing, Kirkpatrick questioned the witnesses about retaliatory actions they’ve experienced as whistleblowers, and later questioned a panel of officials from the VA and the Office of Special Counsel about the availability of whistleblower protections such as a national hotline.

“The bullying of patients and VA employees who report wrongdoing must stop now,” Kirkpatrick said.

In light of continuing reports of retaliation, Kirkpatrick recently called on the agency to remind its employees of their rights and end the VA’s “culture of retaliation and reprisal” against whistleblowers.

Kirkpatrick is Arizona’s representative on the House Veterans Affairs Committee and is the ranking member of its Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

In March, she was the first member of Congress to bring the Phoenix VA allegations to the Inspector General. In April, she and the subcommittee chairman, Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., formally announced that their committee will hold hearings on the Phoenix VA allegations after the Office of Inspector General completes its investigation. In May, she requested a nationwide audit of all VA medical facilities. In June, she introduced the House companion bill to Arizona Sen. John McCain’s major VA reform bill — the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2024. And on June 18, House leadership appointed Kirkpatrick to the bipartisan House-Senate Conference Committee to finalize major VA reform legislation.