Austin News

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, alongside several colleagues, has formally addressed concerns to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough regarding unauthorized access to medical records by VA employees. The letter highlights that the records of vice-presidential candidates Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz were improperly accessed in July and August 2024.

The senators emphasized the breach's implications on the trust veterans place in the VA to protect their confidential information. "Nine million veterans rely on the VA to protect their medical records," they stated, noting that the actions of at least a dozen employees question the effectiveness of current security protocols.

They further expressed concern over potential political motivations behind these breaches, stating, "Given the high-stakes political climate, this breach also raises the possibility that VA personnel accessed these records for political purposes."

The letter was co-signed by Senators Marco Rubio, Bill Hagerty, Mike Braun, Ted Budd, Thom Tillis, Marsha Blackburn, and Joni Ernst. It urges immediate action from Secretary McDonough to strengthen safeguards around medical record access and prevent future unauthorized entries.

Specific questions were posed to Secretary McDonough with a response deadline set for November 15, 2024. These include inquiries about systems designating certain veterans as "high-profile" and measures taken post-breach.

The senators stressed the urgency of addressing this issue: "The repeated, unauthorized access of veterans' medical records by VA employees is a serious breach of trust that demands swift and decisive action."