A news investigation into employee discipline at several Veterans Affairs centers reveals workers suspected of cocaine use or sex at work, or who allegedly committed other crimes, received only mild punishments.

VAThe revelation comes as VA officials face increased criticism from Congress for alleged retaliation against employees who attempted to blow the whistle on their toxic work environment.

News4 I-Team obtained public records through the Freedom of Information Act that show more than 300 employees have been disciplined at three VA medical centers in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Martinsburg, West Virginia, including dozens in recent months who received only brief suspensions for serious misconduct.

“One VA Maryland Heath System employee was reprimanded for failing to treat a patient who’d suffered a head injury in a medical center hallway,” the news site reports. “In another case, an employee was issued (a minor punishment) for leaving a medicine cart unattended at the D.C. VA Medical Center.”

Other offenses are more egregious.

The I-Team highlighted several in which employees received “a slap on the wrist:”

Some employees had sex on the facility grounds, according to the records.

In another case, an employee was found sleeping while on the job, beneath a blanket in a patient room.

Another employee was investigated for being high on cocaine while on duty.

Another worker was arrested for distribution of heroin off-the-job, but was allowed to return to work.

In an 2013 incident, the agency suspended a Martinsburg employee for bringing a loaded gun and a knife onto the grounds.

VA officials didn’t have much to say about the apparent leniency with drug users and dealers, or alleged retaliation against whistleblowers. They refused to discuss the issues with the I-Team and issued a statement basically denying there’s a problem.

“Where performance or conduct issues warrant removal, VA takes appropriate action to terminate employment,” the statement read.

An agency spokeswoman, pressed on the decision not to fire the Martinsburg employee who brought the loaded gun, defended the suspension and explained the employee is a military veteran with a positive work history.

“The employee’s written and oral replies, lack of prior disciplinary action, performance, length of service, remorsefulness and potential to be rehabilitated were all taken into consideration,” the unidentified spokeswoman told the I-Team. “The employee stated the firearm was in his vehicle because it was going to be used for target practice and he forgot it was in the vehicle. He also stated he always carries the three-and-a-half-inch knife because it is a useful tool.”

A D.C. VA center spokesman told the news site the agency “offers staff counseling via the Employee Assistance Program” as part of its “progressive discipline approach” that designed to “ensure federal policies are upheld, patient safety is protected and labor and workforce union agreements are honored.”

Despite the alleged process, hundreds of VA employees have filed retaliation complaints with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel after highlighting serious problems.

“One of every three federal employees who filed retaliation complaints with the Office of Special Council in 2015 was an employee of the VA, according to records obtained by the I-Team.”

The latest reports come as House lawmakers are expected to grill VA officials this week over they haven’t adequately held employees accountable for a series of scandals that have plagued the department in recent years, The Washington Post reports.

“At a hearing Wednesday, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs says it will examine the VA’s ‘continued and pervasive lack of accountability’ for workers who deceived taxpayers and veterans by covering up long waiting times for treatment at 100 medical centers,” according to the news site.

“Across the system, just three low-level employees have been fired after the scandal, which unfolded last year in Phoenix, with no firings of senior executives who were involved. Committee aides also say that no employees in Phoenix have been successfully disciplined for their roles, while several remain in limbo on paid leave.”

Committee chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla, has also criticized the demotions of two senior executives in response to a report that found the women forced subordinates to transfer in order to take their positions and reap $400,000 in questionable moving expenses through a VA executive relocation program.

“If they really want to win, they’ve got to cut players who aren’t performing,” said Miller, who introduced legislation to simplify the firing process for VA employees, told the I-Team.

“We’re talking about people’s lives being endangered in some of these cases,” he said.