VA IG Nominee Cheryl Mason on Objectivity, Independence, and Implementing Recommendations

Maintaining Objectivity as VA Inspector General

• 💡 Cheryl Mason, nominated for VA Inspector General, emphasizes her 28 years at the independent Board of Veterans Appeals as foundational to her approach.
• 🎯 Her role as a senior advisor to Secretary Collins is framed as leveraging her expertise in veterans law and leadership to gather and convey information, similar to a fact-finder.
• 🔑 Mason asserts that her experience as an impartial, independent fact-finder directly correlates to the responsibilities of an Inspector General, with the IG role having the necessary "teeth" for accountability.

Balancing Dual Reporting Responsibilities

• ⚖️ Mason, drawing on her upbringing and knowledge of government structures, understands the distinct roles of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches.
• 🤝 She acknowledges the unique dual reporting relationship of an IG to both the VA Secretary and Congress, stressing the importance of this oversight for transparency.
• 🗣️ This dual reporting ensures that both the Secretary and Congress are aware of issues and concerns within the VA.

Addressing Unimplemented IG Recommendations

• 📌 A significant concern for Mason is the backlog of over 500 unimplemented IG recommendations, some dating back seven years.
• 🔍 If confirmed, she plans to establish a system for inventorying and ensuring accountability for all recommendations, including those already supposedly actioned by the department.
• ✅ Her priority will be to follow up and monitor these recommendations to ensure they are properly implemented, ultimately improving services, care, and benefits for veterans.