{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://dexter.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-veterans-affairs-committee-unanimously-passes-rep-maxine-dexters-motion", "House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Unanimously Passes Rep. Maxine Dexter\u2019s Motion to Subpoena Oracle Leaders Over $27 Billion VA Contract", "2026-09-02", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Maxine Dexter", "D000635", "dexter.house.gov", "dexter", "https://dexter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs unanimously passed Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D.\u2019s (OR-03) motion to subpoena Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and Oracle CEO Mike Sicillia to testify before the House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs about the Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 (VA) electronic health record modernization contract. The committee Chairman, Mike Bost, had previously invited Oracle to appear in today\u2019s hearing and after initially accepting the invitation, Oracle then declined to participate.\n\nLast month, the VA raised the ceiling on Oracle\u2019s electronic health record modernization contract from $10 billion to over $27 billion through a no-bid extension. Congresswoman Dexter called on Oracle executives to testify under oath about the $17 billion increase, the company\u2019s performance, and whether veterans and taxpayers are getting what they were promised.\n\n\u201cWhen the company responsible for a taxpayer-funded contract that could grow from $10 billion to roughly $27 billion refuses to sit before Congress and answer questions, this committee cannot fully do its job,\u201d Rep. Dexter said. \u201cVeterans deserve a health records system that works, and taxpayers deserve to know their money is being spent responsibly. A private, closed-door roundtable cannot replace public congressional oversight. Oracle\u2019s leaders must appear before this committee and answer for this contract.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the Ranking Member of the Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, I demand accountability from Big Tech profiting off of VA contracts,\u201d said House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano. \u201cOur veterans deserve nothing less than full transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. I commend Dr. Dexter for fighting for this subpoena\u2014an essential step to ensure Congress is holding accountable those responsible for the ballooning Electronic Health Record Modernization budget. I am pleased our Republican colleagues joined us in voting to issue subpoenas. I look forward to hearing from Mr. Ellison and Mr. Sicilia to understand where this money will go and whether veterans are actually getting a good deal.\u201d\n\nThe Congresswoman also raised questions about potential conflicts of interest. President Trump\u2019s 2026 financial disclosures included transactions involving Oracle securities, and The Wall Street Journal reported that Ellison gave roughly $45 million to a political nonprofit supporting Trump\u2019s 2024 election effort.\n\n\u201cI am not saying this is a corrupt contract, but the red flags demand serious scrutiny,\u201d Rep. Dexter said. \u201cThis is a $17 billion no-bid increase for a company with a troubled performance record, whose founder spent heavily to support the president and whose stock appears in the president\u2019s financial disclosures. Congress has a responsibility to investigate.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nCongresswoman Dexter, a former VA doctor, has heard concerns from VA doctors about Oracles\u2019 system. She also cited Oregon\u2019s troubled experience with Oracle\u2019s work on the state\u2019s health insurance marketplace. Oregon sued Oracle in 2014, and the dispute was resolved through a 2016 settlement of over $100 million.\n\nThe Government Accountability Office (GAO) has repeatedly raised concerns about the VA\u2019s electronic health record modernization effort. As of August 2026, VA had not fully implemented 14 of GAO\u2019s 18 recommendations related to cost estimates, scheduling, program management, user adoption, satisfaction and operational testing.\n\nThe committee\u2019s unanimous passage of Congresswoman Dexter\u2019s motion advances subpoenas calling for Ellison and Sicilia to testify at a public hearing. Their testimony would allow committee members to question Oracle\u2019s leaders directly about the company\u2019s work and demand answers for veterans and taxpayers.\n\nWatch Rep. Dexter\u2019s Remarks and Subpoena Motion: Here\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://dexter.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-veterans-affairs-committee-unanimously-passes-rep-maxine-dexters-motion"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4185542240738869, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}