House Democrats oppose VA accountability bill

Today, House Republicans passed the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016. This bill, which was opposed by House Democrats is aimed at improving accountability at the Veterans Affairs Department, as well overhauling the VA’s disability appeals process. Provisions in this important piece of legislation include:

• Makes it easier to fire or demote employees based on misconduct or poor job performance.
• Increases whistleblower protections.
• Authorizes the VA to recoup employee bonuses.
• Allows for the reduction of Senior Executive Service employees’ pensions when they are convicted of certain felonies.
• Eliminates all bonuses for Senior Executive Service employees for five years.
• Overhauls the disability appeals process, giving veterans the choice of three lanes for appeal when dissatisfied with an initial VA benefits decision.

NRCC Comment: “With their votes against this important legislation, House Democrats are once again standing in the way of meaningful reform at the VA. House Democrats have made clear that they would rather defend the status quo at the VA than make meaningful changes that would help our nation’s veterans.” – NRCC Spokesman Bob Salera

Background:

H.R. 5620: VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016

Roll Call 519: H.R. 5620

 House tries again to give Veterans Affairs Department more power to discipline employees. “The bill is the latest in a series arising out of the two-year-old VA patient scheduling and care scandal, with much of the focus on members of the Senior Executive service, a layer of mostly career employees between political appointees and midlevel managers. A 2014 law gave VA enhanced power to discipline its executives, but VA used that authority against only a few of them before deciding to no longer use it; that followed a Justice Department decision to not defend the law against a suit claiming it violated due process rights.” (Eric Yoder, The Washington Post, 9/13/16)