Federal Reports

To comply with the VA Transparency & Trust Act of 2021 (Transparency Act), VA must provide a detailed plan to Congress outlining its intent and justification for obligating and expending COVID-19 relief funds covered by the act. Additionally, the Transparency Act requires VA to submit biweekly reports to Congress detailing its obligations, expenditures, and planned uses, as well as justification for any deviation from the plan. The act also requires the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) to submit semiannual reports comparing how VA is obligating and expending covered funds to the planned obligations and expenditures.In its sixth semiannual report, the OIG found that while VA appropriately obtained congressional approval for American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act spend plan deviations, VA did not always meet deadlines for submitting biweekly and quarterly reports. When these reports are submitted to Congress late or not at all, transparency suffers and oversight of these emergency funds cannot function as intended.The OIG also found that VA generally complied with its obligation policy by submitting quarterly reviews and that the reviewed open obligations met ARP Act requirements. However, VA did not consistently provide explanations as required for obligations that were older than 90 days or that had no activity for 90 days.The OIG made two recommendations to VA’s assistant secretary for management and chief financial officer to confirm VA is submitting biweekly reports as required by law and to confirm that required reports are submitted to Congress within the time frame established by law. The OIG also made one recommendation to the director of the Office of Financial Policy to coordinate with administration and staff office chief financial officers to ensure staff know and understand VA financial policy requirements for the review of open obligations included in quarterly obligation reports.