Could greater transparency in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs improve the level of care for former service members? Could it expose areas in need of improvement? And in either case, could lives be at stake?

Tom MacArthur/Photo by Tom Mongelli, Townsquare Media
Tom MacArthur/Photo by Tom Mongelli, Townsquare Media
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These are some of the questions swirling around a call by shore Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-3) and other House members for the release of 140 investigative findings under wraps as far back as 2006.

New Jersey Representatives Frank Lobiondo (R-2) and Leonard Lance (R-7) are among the five other signatories in a message to VA Deputy Inspector General Richard Griffin.

MacArthur cites a USA Today article about the situation, which follows only days after a Washington Post piece highlighted the Obama Administration's spotty record in responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) inquiries.

"Our veterans deserve first-rate, high quality care, but it seems the Department of Veterans Affairs may be hindering that once again," MacArthur said in a prepared statement. "Learning that the VA has not publicly released the findings of 140 health care investigations since 2006 is deeply troubling."

"Oversight is necessary to ensure the VA is delivering proper care to our veterans, especially in the wake of previous shortcomings at the Department," MacArthur added. "If there are further problems that have been uncovered, our veterans and the American people deserve to know."

Classified data, privacy concerns and national security are among the factors that might impact public release of information, though it is not known whether these or other factors concern the VA documents.

MacArthur's predecessor, Jon Runyan, spent a great deal of his Congressional term focused on improving VA's operations and outreach.

The freshman Republican returns to WOBM's studios April 6 to take your calls during the next "Ask The Congressman," 7 - 8 PM on WOBM-AM 1160/1310.

The message from the Congressional coalition can be seen here.

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