WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, is demanding answers from President Trump’s administration about Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) gaining access to veterans’ medical records.
Following a recent report by Military.com that “DOGE” employees had accessed VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., Heinrich joined his fellow Subcommittee members in writing a letter to U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Doug Collins pressing him to protect the sensitive medical information of veterans, their families, and VA staff from Elon Musk and “DOGE.”
“We understand that personnel reporting to Mr. Musk have recently visited VA facilities,” the senators wrote. “Senators, veterans, and members of the public have serious concerns regarding Mr. Musk’s extraordinary and unprecedented activities and the lack of transparency surrounding them, including his potential access to and handling of sensitive or personal information.”
“Accordingly, we seek specific information regarding VA’s engagement with Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”),” they continued.
The senators requested a list of “DOGE” personnel who have visited VA facilities, the systems they accessed, and whether veteran data — including medical and service records — may have been viewed, copied, or transferred. They also requested that Secretary Collins reveal the nature of the agreement that governs “DOGE” personnels engagement with the VA.
Heinrich was joined by Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Subcommittee Ranking Member Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), and fellow Subcommittee members Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.).
Full text of the senators’ letter can be found here and below.
Dear Secretary Collins,
During meetings in advance of your recent confirmation to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), you affirmed your commitment to transparency and to facilitating robust Congressional oversight of VA. As you know from your time in Congress, that oversight is essential to ensuring America's veterans are well treated and supported.
Accordingly, we seek specific information regarding VA's engagement with Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency ("DOGE"). We understand that personnel reporting to Mr. Musk have recently visited VA facilities.
Senators, veterans, and members of the public have serious concerns regarding Mr. Musk's extraordinary and unprecedented activities and the lack of transparency surrounding them, including his potential access to and handling of sensitive or personal information.
Please therefore provide written answers to the below questions by February 20, 2025-For the period beginning on January 20, 2025:
1. Please list all personnel who report to Mr. Musk or are affiliated with “DOGE" who have visited VA facilities.
a. For each individual, please report their position or title, organizational affiliation, and role, as well as the dates and times of their visit or visits and their activities while on VA premises.
2. Please list all personnel who report to Mr. Musk or are affiliated with "DOGE" who have accessed or sought access to VA data, databases, or information technology systems (including servers, computers, networks, or devices), whether in-person or remotely.
a. For each individual, please report their position or title, organizational affiliation, and role, as well as the dates, times, and nature of such accesses or attempts at access, including the specific data or IT systems accessed and the purpose and justification of access.
3. Please list all VA data, databases, or information technology systems (including servers, computers, networks, or devices) that have been accessed, or to which access has been sought or requested, by Mr. Musk or personnel who report to Mr. Musk, or any personnel who are affiliated with "DOGE."
4. Please list all dates and periods of time this year during which Mr. Musk, personnel who report to Mr. Musk, or any personnel who are affiliated with "DOGE" have had access to, or the ability to access, whether in-person or remotely, VA data, databases, or information technology systems (including servers, computers, networks, or devices), up to and including the date of your response to this letter, if applicable.
a. For these instances, please describe the individuals who have such access, the data or systems to which they have access, the nature of their access, and the purpose and justification for their access.
5. Have any personnel who report to Mr. Musk or who are affiliated with "DOGE" sought or had access to, accessed, handled, copied, downloaded, or transferred any personally identifiable information (PII) of veterans, VA personnel, or other individuals whose PII is resident on VA systems? If so, please list the relevant personnel, the nature of their access to or engagement with such data, as well as the date, time, nature, and purpose of their activities. Please also specify the number of veterans, VA personnel, or non-VA individuals whose PII may have been accessed, copied, downloaded, or transferred.
6. Have any personnel who report to Mr. Musk or who are affiliated with "DOGE" sought or had access to, accessed, handled, copied, downloaded, or transferred any veterans' claims or medical records, non-VA medical records to which VA may have access, service records, or other files that contain veteran data? If so, please list the relevant personnel, the nature of their access to or engagement with such data, as well as the date, time, nature, and purpose of such activities. Please also specify the number of veterans whose records may have been accessed, copied, downloaded, or transferred.
7. Have Mr. Musk, individuals who report to Mr. Musk, or individuals otherwise affiliated with "DOGE directly or remotely connected any computer, device, hardware, network, system, database, or software not wholly owned by the United States Government to any VA computer, server, device, hardware, network, or other information technology system since November 5, 2024?
a. If so, please list each case, the relevant personnel, and the specific nature of the access or connection.
8. Have Mr. Musk, individuals who report to Mr. Musk, or individuals otherwise affiliated with "DOGE" downloaded, copied, or transferred any VA data or data held on VA information technology systems to information technology systems or devices not wholly owned by or controlled by VA?
a. If so, please specify the data downloaded, copied, or transferred; the nature of the system, device, or database to which it was transferred; and the purpose and justification of such transfer.
9. Is "DOGE" engagement with VA governed by any Memorandum of Understanding or Agreement, or other similar document that specifies the nature, purpose, and terms of their access? If so, please provide such to the Subcommittee.
10. Have Mr. Musk, individuals who report to Mr. Musk, or individuals who are otherwise affiliated with "DOGE" interviewed or otherwise engaged with any VA employees? If so, please provide the number of individuals interviewed, the job titles of the individuals interviewed, and the dates of the interviews.
11. Please broadly characterize the interactions of the Department with Mr. Musk, personnel who report to Mr. Musk, and any personnel who are affiliated with "DOGE", including the stated purpose and goals of their efforts at VA, the types of reviews they are conducting, and the timeline under which they will be concluding their work.
12. Have Mr. Musk, individuals who report to Mr. Musk, or individuals otherwise affiliated with "DOGE" accessed financial, payment, or contracting systems at VA? If so, please specify the information accessed; and the purpose and justification of such access.
13. Have VA's Office of General Counsel or any personnel with responsibility for compliance, privacy, or ethics raised concerns regarding "DOGE" access to VA? If so, please specify the nature and form of such concern. If responsive information is in the form of written communication, please provide it to the Subcommittee.
We look forward to receiving the information requested and wish you well on your mission at VA.
###