VA was established as an independent agency by Executive Order 5398
on July 21, 1930, in accordance with Public Law 71-536, Activities
for War Veterans, Consolidation and Coordination (Act of July
30, 1930). This Act authorized the President to consolidate and
coordinate Federal agencies especially created for or concerned
with the administration of laws providing benefits to veterans.
Under this Act, the Veterans' Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions,
and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers were consolidated
in VA. Effective March 15, 1989, Public Law 100527
elevated VA to Cabinet-level status as the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
The Department's budget authority for FY 1997 is $39.4 billion.
Fulltime equivalent (FTE) employment for the year is 215,432.
VA operates medical facilities or regional offices in every State,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
VA's mission is to serve America's veterans and their families
as their principal advocate in ensuring that they receive the
care, support, and recognition they have earned in service to
the Nation. The Department includes 3 administrations that provide
for the delivery of services and benefits; 5 assistant secretaries
and 13 deputy assistant secretaries who advise and support the
Secretary and the administrations; and 6 Department staff offices
that provide specific assistance to the Secretary. Highlights
of the services and benefits provided by the 3 administrations
follow.
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION (VBA)
To provide benefits, VBA maintains 58 regional offices and 2 insurance
centers.
Compensation for serviceconnected disabilities and death
2.5 million veterans and survivors receive continuing benefits
valued at about $16.1 billion.
Pensions for income maintenance of veterans and survivors
.7 million veterans and survivors receive continuing benefits
valued at about $3.1 billion.
Education and training assistance
Approximately 515,000 trainees receive education and training
assistance payments valued at about $1.4 billion.
Housing and other credit assistance
In FY 1996, VA granted 291,635 home loans valued at $28.7 billion.
Veterans' and servicemens' life insurance
The 5 million policies in force in VA life insurance programs have a total face value of about $560.4 billion.
VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (VHA)
To provide medical care, VHA maintains 173 hospitals, 398 outpatient
clinics (includes independent, satellite, communitybased,
and rural outreach clinics), 40 domiciliaries, and 133 nursing
home units.
| VA Hospitals | 32,202 |
| VA Nursing Home Care Units and Domiciliaries | 19,146 |
| Non-VA Facilities | 23,287 |
| TOTAL | 74,635 |
Hospitals, medical, dental, and outpatient care
The average daily census for inpatient VA and nonVAprovided care in FY 1996 was estimated at 74,635. The locations of the patients are shown in this table.
About 30.5 million outpatient visits were provided in FY 1996.
Medical and prosthetic research
Research funding for FY 1997 is $262 million.
NATIONAL CEMETERY SYSTEM (NCS)
To provide interment services, the NCS operates 114 cemeteries
and 34 other miscellaneous sites.
There were 71,786 interments in national cemeteries in FY 1996,
and 327,284 headstones or markers were provided.
VA's OIG was administratively established on January 1, 1978,
to consolidate audit, investigation, and related operations into
a cohesive, independent organization. In October 1978, the Inspector
General Act of 1978 (P.L.95452) was enacted and established
a statutory Inspector General (IG) in VA.
The Inspector General Act of 1978 states that the IG is responsible
for: (1) conducting and supervising audits and investigations,
(2) recommending policies designed to promote economy and efficiency
in the administration of, and to prevent and detect fraud and
abuse in, the programs and operations of the Department, and (3)
keeping the Secretary and the Congress fully informed about problems
and deficiencies in VA programs and operations and the need for
corrective action.
The Inspector General Act Amendments of 1988 were enacted in October
1988. The major effect of these amendments was to provide the
OIG with a separate appropriation account and a revised and expanded
procedure for reporting semiannual workload to Congress.
The IG has authority to inquire into all VA programs and activities
as well as the related activities of persons or parties performing
under grants, contracts, or other agreements. The inquiries may
be in the form of audits, investigations, contract reviews, inspections,
or other appropriate actions. The responsibility for program
integrity rests with VA administration heads and staff offices.
Fiscal Year 1997 funding for OIG operations is $31.9 million.
Approximately 85 percent of the total funding is for personnel
salaries and benefits, 5 percent for travel, and 10 percent
for all other (contractual services, rents, supplies, equipment,
etc.).
The OIG's estimated employment level for FY 1997 is 349. Employees
on board as of March 31, 1997, were distributed as follows:
| |
| Inspector General's Office | 2 |
| Office of Counselor to IG | 4 |
| Office of Investigations | 76 |
| Office of Audit | 184 |
| Office of Departmental Reviews and Management Support | 55 |
| Office of Healthcare Inspections | 20 |
| TOTAL | 341 |
The OIG organization chart is presented on the next page.