Legion to Congress: Hold VA accountable for West LA property
Louis Celli, director of the Legion’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division, testified Tuesday during a Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing.

Legion to Congress: Hold VA accountable for West LA property

For more than 35 years, The American Legion has been actively protesting the misuse of the Department of Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles campus. In April, the Legion discovered that the VA failed to properly account for funds, goods and other services received from tenants leasing land on the property.

To date, the money collected in exchange for use of campus assets has not been accounted for, and the employees responsible continue to retire and move on before answering for the missing money that was intended to support veterans in Los Angeles.

The American Legion testified during a Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing Tuesday, imploring members of the committee to get answers from the VA and suggested further measures to ensure accountability with veterans is restored.

During his testimony, Louis Celli, director of the Legion’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division, conveyed the Legion’s willingness to support future legislation to establish limited leases on the property that will specifically benefit veterans in Los Angeles. “We remain angered over the lack of accountability of revenue that was lost, and remains unaccounted for, over the last several years through the illegal leasing practices employed by VA,” he said.

The American Legion opposes any enhanced-used-lease that does not specifically provide any obvious and permanent benefits, resources or services to the veterans’ community.

While VA officials observed hearing statements alongside the audience, Celli urged lawmakers to hold those liable for wrongdoing.

When The American Legion asked VA officials for an accounting of those funds, representatives are repeatedly told, “We’ll get back to you,” said Celli. The VA continues to fail to provide answers regarding accounting of funds collected from commercial tenants of the West Los Angeles VA facility when the organization violated land-use agreements.

“We need accountability, and we need it now,” Celli said.

This legislation can provide tangible benefits to the veterans in the West Los Angeles area, Celli noted. “But there must be a complete and transparent accounting of the activities on the property - past and present - to restore trust in the veterans’ community.”

While the land-use agreement was a key component of the Legion’s testimony, Celli also expressed support of other critical legislation.

The Delivering Opportunities for Care and Services for Veterans Act of 2015 broadens the ability of VA to fill its ranks with qualified medical staff, while attempting to compensate for income disparity suffered by certain geographical areas.

The American Legion supports this proposed legislation. On the other hand, it is important to be mindful of the need to make VA employment a more attractive employment option through non-monetary incentives including set schedules, a vast network of resources and cutting edge research opportunities, said Celli.

The Veterans Court of Appeals Support Act of 2015 addresses a critical need at the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

The attempt to clear the claims backlog has grown to a fever pitch, and the backlog of claims appeals has grown to unprecedented levels. “Ensuring that the court remains fully staffed with law judges couldn’t be more important than it is today,” Celli said. “With a transitioning administration set to coincide with several projected retirements at the court, the time to ensure veterans aren’t suffering needlessly due to a crippled court, is now.

At the conclusion of his testimony, Celli affirmed the Legion’s willingness to work with the committee and other veteran service organizations to solve the problems plaguing America’s veterans – including the lack of accountability within the VA. He suggested the creation of an advisory committee that would include stakeholders to ensure more transparency within the VA and hold those guilty of wrongdoing responsible for their actions.

“How will the veteran’s voice be heard if not so much is asked?”