Oversight: Advancing VA Care Through Artificial Intelligence
House Subcommittee on Technology Modernization
2025-09-15
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Source: Congress.gov
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Good morning. The subcommittee will come to order. And without objection, the chair may declare recess at any time. Like many who have worn the uniform and received VA health care, I know the frustration when the system is slow, the paperwork stacks up, or the technology fails or doesn't lead us in the direction we're trying to go. And that's why this subcommittee's work is so critical and why it's important that we have the folks here joining us today. It's our duty to ensure VA's technology is efficient and reliable, helping veterans rather than standing in the way of their care. And that brings us to the focus of today's hearing. Artificial intelligence, or AI as it's of course commonly referred to right now, For some, AI sounds like a science fiction movie. We've all seen many of them. Something only computer scientists worry about or even something scary because it's unknown and not well understood. It feels like today everything is about drones.
the Department of Veterans Affairs and how we can support the VA in closing those gaps through technology. However, today's review of artificial intelligence use cases at the Veterans Health Administration feels like a distraction. VA is struggling with the basics. We are here discussing the newest technologies while VA is still working with a crumbling IT infrastructure and still grapples to modernize systems and workflows. As a ranking member on the Technology Modernization Subcommittee, I am certainly excited by the potential of both AI and innovation. AI could improve some of VA's challenges through large language models and higher processing speeds. We have seen promising studies of providers using AI to identify cancers more easily, improve patient outcomes, and ease clinician burnout by taking on more administrative tasks. VA has certainly been a leader in the research, development, and widespread usage of a number of significant and groundbreaking technologies, and it stands to do so again with AI. However, success in these efforts requires adequate resources and investments in its budgets, its processes, and its people. Veterans choose VA for the community it provides, for the people it employs, and for the fact that it is not driven by profit. What VA does best is make veterans feel seen and understood. As we have seen, AI can be a tool to provide decision support, ease provider burdens, and help with note-taking so doctors can be more present with the patient. But we should also acknowledge that it is not the answer to every challenge the VA faces. Also, we as a committee and as Congress need to have a real conversation about AI policy and how to implement it safely. I am excited about the opportunities that AI presents, but I'm not convinced that VA is prepared to deploy this technology just yet.
I have a number of concerns that I hope to address today, like the lack of regulation and governance structures and the need for better transparency around what data is involved in training such models. Further, like all technology modernization efforts, implementing AI successfully requires a highly skilled adequately staffed workforce. Almost two weeks ago, the acting head of the Department on Government Efficiency stressed the need to, quote, hire and empower great tech talent in government, end quote. I couldn't agree more with that. However, I think we should all note the irony of that statement, considering OIT is proposing a massive reorganization and intends to cut at least 20% of its workforce. Success is also reliant on strong IT leadership. If OIT is in fact undergoing significant changes to its organizational structure, priorities list, and workforce makeup, we need a confirmed chief information officer at VA. This position is particularly critical as we see the acceleration and progression of modernization efforts at the department. It seems the VA still lacks a coherent enterprise IT strategy, leaving projects like AI integration to happen in silos. Without stable and competent leadership, veterans and VA employees will continue to be stuck with cobbled-together systems and workflows that don't meet their needs, rather than a solid strategy for technology usage to guide its decision-making. I hope that we can get some clarity into the administration's plan to propose a nominee for the CIO position, and that one can be confirmed before many of these substantial changes occur. Lastly, I understand the subcommittee held a similar hearing in January of 2024, though neither I nor the Chairman were on the subcommittee at that point.
In that hearing, data privacy was an intrinsic part of the discussion. I hope that it still is the case today. As we become more interconnected through technology advancements like artificial intelligence, we must become increasingly aware of the concerns about the privacy of users' data, especially in healthcare. Since this last hearing, the department has been entangled in multiple cybersecurity incidents which have potentially placed veterans' data at risk. Though many of these breaches have been targeted at VA contractors, veterans data has still been implicated, and VA maintains some responsibility for its safety. Though I do feel that this hearing is perhaps too early, considering VA has yet to develop and release some of its policies and plans to align its efforts with the administration's, I hope to hear from our VA witnesses today about how data privacy and security, as well as the views of both VA employees and patients, will be integrated into such plans. Thank you, and I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
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