Kirk holds hearing about veteran mistreatment, whistleblower retaliation

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The U.S. Senate is investigating reports of veterans being mistreated and retaliation against whistleblowers at the Hines VA Hospital near Maywood.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, chairman of the Veterans Appropriations Subcommittee, led a hearing on Friday questioning several of the whistleblowers.

"I want to do all I can to help the professionals who are serving our veterans. We must protect the protectors of our veterans," Kirk said during the hearing.

Lisa Nee, a former Hines cardiologist, told the subcommittee: "There should never be a single instance where a physician must choose between self-preservation and the life of a patient, or suffer an assault to their character in order to obtain accountability for criminal and inhumane acts against patients and fraudulent behavior towards the taxpayer."

Kirk is expected to soon introduce the VA Patients Protection Act.