Rep. Jeff Miller (R., Fla.) grew impatient Wednesday during a late Veterans Affairs committee hearing while interviewing the VA's assistant secretary for congressional and legislative affairs Joan Mooney.
Shown on Fox News Channel's On the Record, Miller asked why the committee had not been told who was disciplined for misconduct in Augusta, Ga., and Columbia, S.C., where "nine veterans died because they were on a waiting list for colonoscopies."
Mooney began to respond that her office had responded to more than 100,000 requests for information, before Miller cut her off.
"Ma'am, ma'am, ma'am, ma'am," he said. "Veterans died. Get us the answers, please!"
"I understand that, Mr. Chairman, and I will look," she replied.
"That's what you said three months ago!" Miller exclaimed. "This has been going on since January. Since January. In case you don't know it, we put on our website every week what we ask for and nothing changes from week to week. We have an oversight responsibility in this Congress, and we cannot do our job appropriately if you don't provide us the information that we request."
Full exchange:
JEFF MILLER: If you want a specific one, why have you not told this committee yet who was disciplined in Augusta, Georgia and Columbia, South Carolina, where nine veterans died because they were on a waiting list for colonoscopies?
JOAN MOONEY: As you know, Mr. Chairman, in the last five years, the office of congressional legislative affairs--
MILLER: That, ma'am --
MOONEY: -- has responded to over 100,000 requests for information.
MILLER: Ma'am, ma'am, ma'am, ma'am. Veterans died. Get us the answers, please!
MOONEY: I understand that, Mr. Chairman, and I will look.
MILLER: That's what you said three months ago! This has been going on since January. Since January. In case you don't know it, we put on our website every week what we ask for and nothing changes from week to week. We have an oversight responsibility in this Congress, and we cannot do our job appropriately if you don't provide us the information that we request.