A House committee chairman is accusing the Veterans Affairs agency of criminal negligence in its handling of data on suicides among U.S. veterans.

The House Veterans Affairs Committee took up the subject at a hearing Tuesday. Panel chairman Bob Filner discussed internal VA e-mails about data claiming that 12,000 veterans a year attempt suicide while under VA treatment.

The chairman also accused VA mental health director Ira Katz of being less concerned about veterans' health than about how data on the veterans was interpreted. Katz later called it "unfortunate" that an e-mail sent out about the suicide data opened with the phrase "Shh!" He also apologized.

Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake told the panel the data being discussed in the e-mails had not been released due to concerns about its accuracy.