The Department of Veterans Affairs became embroiled in April 2014 in a series of scandals over its mistreatment of military veterans. Dozens of veterans had died waiting for care at VA hospitals. The agency systematically falsified waiting lists. It retaliated against whistleblowers. It spent money wastefully.

Three months later, when Robert McDonald was confirmed as the agency’s new secretary, he made several promises to “deliver the needed reforms our veterans deserve.”