Report on VA Performance Honored for Ninth Year in a Row

WASHINGTON, May. 15 /PRNewswire/ --

Peake: VA "Best of the Best" in Providing Clear Information

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Continuing its commitment to give veterans clear, valuable information on how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is performing, for the ninth year in a row, VA has been rated by an independent research center as having one of the best annual performance reports in the federal sector.

"Veterans have the right to know whether this Department is meeting its obligations to them," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "This prestigious, independent group has found -- once again -- that VA is among the best of the best in the federal sector for providing meaningful information to the American public about our operations and performance."

Since 2000, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has examined the performance and accountability reports issued annually by federal agencies. This year, VA's report was third among 24 federal departments and agencies. VA also tied for having the highest score in both transparency and leadership, an example of the Department's commitment to provide information that is useful and easy to understand and that clearly describes VA's contribution to America.

Called Ninth Annual Performance Report Scorecard: Which Federal Agencies Best Inform the Public?, the new Mercatus study found VA's report is "a user-friendly and informative document."

"The Department [of Veterans Affairs] continues to be an innovator in performance accountability and reporting," the study's authors said in a press statement.

"These findings show that VA has developed a management culture that sets high standards, measurable goals, and encourages accountability to the American public," Peake said.

VA published its latest performance and accountability report in November 2007. It documents the Department's progress toward ensuring America's veterans and their families receive timely, compassionate, high-quality care and benefits.

The Department's report can be found on the Internet at: >.

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