House Committee Votes to Subpoena VA Over Art Spending, Cost Overruns

Chairman: VA failed to account for at least $1.7 million in art spending over last six years

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs voted to subpoena the Department of Veterans Affairs over its spending on lavish art pieces and an over-budget hospital construction project.

The committee voted Wednesday morning to issue a subpoena to VA Secretary Robert McDonald seeking documents related to the agency’s spending on artwork since fiscal 2010 and the $1.7 billion construction project for a Colorado VA hospital.

Rep. Jeff Miller (R., Fla.), who chairs the committee, said he sought art contracts related to the VA’s Palo Alto Health Care System more than a year ago, but that the VA made no attempt to respond to his request until he scheduled the Wednesday meeting. He described the agency’s response as “wholly incomplete.”

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