U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) have introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen oversight of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by reforming the department’s ability to take action against leaders and employees who have engaged in misconduct.
“Instilling accountability at the VA is key to ensuring veterans receive the care and benefits they deserve and attracting the best and brightest to VA’s workforce,” Sen. Moran said.
The legislation would also require management at the VA to take a more proactive approach to weeding out bad actors and encouraging employees to hold leadership accountable. The reforms aim to prevent wrongdoing and improve patient safety and the quality of care at VA facilities across the country.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) sponsored the Leadership, Engagement, Accountability, and Development (LEAD) Act of 2023, S. 2679, in July, along with original cosponsors Sen. Rounds and Sen. Moran, who serves as ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
“Our nation’s veterans have made incredible sacrifices so that we can be free,” Sen. Rounds said. “We have a responsibility to provide them with health care and other benefits after their service is complete, and it is crucial that VA employees at all levels charged with delivering that care are held to a high standard.”
The LEAD Act would put into law the findings of a July review by the General Accountability Office of VA’s Office of Medical Inspector and would establish accountability standards to improve oversight of VA health care.
According to a summary of the bill, the provisions include requiring VA to create a unified system with clear standards and training for proposing and implementing accountability actions; establishing a single office in the Veterans Health Administration that would consolidate all oversight, patient safety, and accountability functions to cut red tape; and creating a group of traveling VA medical staff to cover long-term absences to ensure there is no interruption in service to veterans, among others.
“Bad actors at VA will not be tolerated – period,” added Sen. Tester.