mr. bowman? mr. bowman: in our fieldwork, we interviewed over 90 uses at vbms.heard quite a few complaints about new releases. an emphasis on pushing up functionality without the end-users of how to use that folks now take. there were a lot of complaints there was an adequate training for them to be up to leverage that fox doughty to help process claims. chairman: my last question is because has risen from $580 $3 billion. a substantial investment has been made. congress has provided those of dollars. it is still not functional after six years. i am sure that can be argued. there's going to be more money required. what is the current lifecycle estimate for vbms? -- mr. chairman: whether you appreciate the question i, you do not have to say it. >> i do appreciate that your staffers came over a month ago. good conversation. mr. chairman: if you would, just answer the question. >> we will never stop looking for ways to improve our service to veterans. chairman: you will never start or stop? >> we will never stop. as to: it sounds like you will never start -- mr. ch

mr. michael bowman director of the ig's i.t. and security audits decision. va continues to face challenges in developing the i.t. systems it needs to support its current goals and overall mission. since 2007 we have identified i.t. as a major management challenge for va. our audits in recent years have shown that i.t. system development and management at va is a long-standing, high-risk challenge. despite some advances, our reports indicate the va i.t. programs are still often susceptible to cost overruns, schedule slippages, performance problems and in some cases complete failure. in february, 2013, we issued a report evaluating whether va had performed sufficient testing of vbms. this work assessed whether va was positioned to meet its goal of eliminating the disability claims backlog and attaining a 98% accuracy rate for claims. however, we did note that the system had not been fully developed to process claims from the initial application to benefits delivery and as of today in some instances that is still the case. in our september, 2015, follow-up repo

mr. michael bowman, the director of information technology of the security audits division of the office of inspector general and finally valerie melvin the director of information technology at the united states government accountability office. thank you all for being with us this morning. your complete written statements will be entered into the record. mis ms. mccoy, you are recognized for five minutes to present your opening testimony. >> thank you. good morning, mr. chairman, chairman miller, ranking member brown, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss the recent department of veterans affairs office of inspector general and government accountability office reports dated september 14 and september 15th, 2015, respectively. also, chairman, thank you for recognizing those who have accompanied me today. the veterans benefits management system or vbms is a web-based application primarily used by veterans benefits administration employees to process disability claims. vbms has supported more than 30,000 -- yes, 30,000 unique users including those from the

bowman, tarshis and separately against beverly johnson. defendants have made false, malicious statements against mr. cosby. >> reporter: in fact, cosby's lawyers have denied all the m. but the accusers say they find strength in each other. >> i had the courage to come out.women. i have gone from victim to victim's advocate. e. >> and you can't take that on by yourself. >> a woman drove by just two weeks ago and spit at me and liar. which really shook me up. nobody likes to be called a liar, nobody likes to be spit at. >> the numbers started building, then you realize now it's not ant. >> it was me and you and you and you and you and you and you. >> and finally i told my daughter.hese women say the first step towards coming forward was to tell their mothers, their sisters, their daughters. >> she was, like, so upset.and i might be coming out with the story." she said, "no, don't, mom. do you want that for your legacy?"daughter calls back and says, "you know i talked to my husband," and she said, "i want you to tell your story. and i want you to know that i'm behind you."now i couldn't have told you.

defamation suit of his own against the women including bowman, tarshis and separately against beverly johnson. >> these seven counter malicious statements against mr. cosby. >> reporter: in fact, cosby's lawyers have denied all the allegations against him. but the accusers say they find strength in each other. >> i had the courage to come out. hoping to empower other women. i have gone from victim to victim's advocate. >> i knew i wasn't the only one. >> and you can't take that on by yourself. >> a woman drove by just two weeks ago and spit at me and called me liar. which really shook me up. nobody likes to be called a liar, nobody likes to be spit at. especially when you are not lying. >> the numbers started building, then you realize now it's not just me against the giant. >> it was me and you and you and you and you and you and you. >> and finally i told my >> reporter: many of these women say the first step towards coming forward was to tell their mothers, their sisters, their daughters. >> she was, like, so upset. and then i told her, "and i might be coming out with the story." she said, "no, don't, mom. do you want that for your legacy?" and