VA CIO nominee faces Senate confirmation hearing

Roger Baker, nominated to be the CIO at the Department of Veterans Affairs, has a tough job ahead of him. He knows it and so does the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Baker testified Wednesday before the committee, and outlined what he would do to solve the VA's large-scale management problem.

For starters, he said, it would be "to address the issues with failed programs and the environment that allows them to continue for 10 years before being identified as failed programs," according to an article in Federal Computer Week.

Baker is facing major challenges from an agency that has had a myriad of problems with its computer systems. Files have been lost, and there are constant cyberattacks on the VA's system. One big problem is the VA's patient scheduling system that has been a failure.

But at his confirmation hearing, Baker told lawmakers that the true problem was their inability to find fault in, and admit defeat from their own actions.

"My view is that a lot of the issue with patient scheduling and other failures is an environmental one of not dealing honestly with the fact that you are failing," he said. "The program certainly showed evidence of having problems well before the 10-year mark. It is important to accept those problems and deal honestly with them and, if necessary, admit that you are failing and that substantial correction is necessary."

For more on Baker's confirmation hearing:
- check out this Federal Computer Week article