House Republicans applauded President Donald Trump’s signing of a bill into law on Friday that updates Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) civil service rules to promote accountability and transparency.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, S. 1094 – a measure that streamlines the discipline and removal of poorly performing VA employees – cleared the House earlier this month with support from U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Lamar Smith (R-TX).
“We are one step closer to fixing the VA,” Buchanan said. “This bipartisan overhaul will give the VA secretary the tools necessary to fire or discipline employees who do not meet the standards our veterans deserve.”
The new law preserves due process while lowering the burden of proof threshold for the VA secretary to fire employees and grants more flexibility to clawback pensions, bonuses and relocation expenses from poorly performing employees.
“Today is a great day for our veterans,” Issa said. “For too long, VA employees who weren’t performing up to the standards we expect have not been held accountable for their actions — allowing the quality of care for our veterans to collapse. The newly signed legislation is a huge victory for veterans that will restore accountability, improve care and ensure our heroes are put first.”
Whistleblower protections also would be enhanced by establishing an Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection within the VA.
It was first revealed three years ago that VA employees across the country were falsifying waiting lists to conceal delays in veterans’ treatment. A number of patients died during the time they were waiting for appointments. The nationwide scandal led to the resignation of former secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki.
“President Trump is honoring his promise to hold accountable VA employees ‘who let our veterans down,’” Smith said. The legislation signed on Friday “allows the VA secretary more flexibility to remove, demote or suspend employees who are engaged in unprofessional behavior and not providing the quality of service our veterans deserve.
Smith cited incidents where the VA’s civil service rules had allowed for paid leave for an employee who was involved in an armed robbery, a nurse who took part in surgery while intoxicated and a manager responsible for hospital construction delays costing more than $1 billion.
“It’s unfair to veterans and the vast majority of dedicated staff at Texas VA facilities when the agency doesn’t hold employees accountable,” Smith said.