WASHINGTON — Some lawmakers attacked the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Tuesday for giving out nearly $11 million in bonuses to senior VA managers that were meant for front-line employees at hospitals, clinics and field offices.
The VA's inspector general office, in a report released last month, found that the department improperly awarded the "critical skills incentives" to more than 180 executives.
VA Secretary Denis McDonough on Tuesday told the House Armed Services Committee that the decision to give out the bonuses resulted from "a series of massive mistakes."
But that didn't satisfy the panel's chairman, Rep. Mike Bost (R-Illinois).
He said: "Mr. Secretary, in September you called the decisions a policy error. I call them criminal behavior."
McDonough said he still has confidence in his leadership team and would not seek any resignations.