VA fiscal responsibility, veterans data privacy among issues addressed during Legion testimony
VA fiscal responsibility, veterans data privacy among issues addressed during Legion testimony
Publish Date: 2026-03-26 15:06:00
Source Domain: www.legion.org
American Legion Legislative Director Cole Lyle delivers remarks to HVAC’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
During a March 25 House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee hearing, American Legion Legislative Division Director Cole Lyle expressed Legion support – with some suggested amendments – to pending legislation that addresses better fiscal management by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans data privacy and providing a clearer route for recovering bonuses from former VA employees for exhibited misconduct or poor performances.
Lyle addressed the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and immediately pointed out a similarity in the pieces of legislation being considered. “Across the bills under consideration, one common theme emerges: VA must become a better steward of the resources and trust veterans have placed in it,” he said. “We see this clearly in the management of software assets. VA spent roughly $21 billion on software licenses and systems between FY 2022 and 2024. Yet a recent GAO report found the department still cannot accurately track how many licenses it uses.
“According to GAO’s written testimony, without implementing comprehensive guidance from managing the impacts of restrictive software license practices, VA is not well-positioned to identify and analyze the impact or mitigate the risks they present. The result is wasted taxpayer dollars and inefficient operations.”
A potential solution is H.R. 6654, the Veterans Affairs Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act that Lyle said takes a “practical step” toward addressing the problem through requiring a comprehensive inventory, centralized oversight and annual reporting.
“With modest amendments, we believe this bill will deliver meaningful, long-term savings that can be redirected back to veteran care,” he said.
Another piece of legislation under consideration is H.R. 7683, the VA Fiscal Management Modernization Act. The…
