Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017
Latest action. Became public lawWhat a bill becomes when enacted, numbered by Congress and order of enactment: Public Law 119-4 is the 4th law of the 119th Congress.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) No: 115-41.
Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017
TITLE I--OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION
(Sec. 101) This bill establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection which shall advise the VA on all matters relating to accountability, including VA employee accountability, whistle-blower disclosures and related retaliation, and senior executive service (SES) and supervisory misconduct.
The office shall be headed by an Assistant Secretary for Accountability and Whistleblower Protection.
(Sec. 102) The bill revises whistle-blower protections.
The VA shall develop supervisory performance criteria that include whistle-blower protection and provide employees with whistle-blower disclosure and merit system protection training.
TITLE II--ACCOUNTABILITY OF SENIOR EXECUTIVES, SUPERVISORS, AND OTHER EMPLOYEES
(Sec. 201) The bill revises VA authority to remove certain employees or senior executives for reasons of misconduct or performance, including to permit such individuals to be reprimanded or suspended.
(Sec. 202) The VA may remove, demote, or suspend other VA employees based on performance or misconduct. The VA may also remove or suspend such employee from the civil service or demote the employee through a reduction in grade and salary.
A demoted individual may not be placed on administrative leave during an appeal period, and may receive pay only if he or she reports for duty or is approved to use certain leave. A demoted individual who does not report for duty or receive leave approval shall not receive pay or other benefits.
The VA shall issue a final written decision with respect to a removal, demotion, or suspension within 15 business days after the individual has been provided with notice and an evidentiary file.
The bill establishes an expedited appeals process, including the right to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board and the right to appeal a board decision to a U.S. Court of Appeals or to any court of appeals of competent jurisdiction.
The VA may not remove, demote, or suspend an employee who: (1) is seeking corrective action from the Office of Special Counsel based on discrimination without the office's approval, and (2) has made a whistle-blower disclosure to the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection until a final determination of the case has been made.
The summary continues for 6 more paragraphs. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Public Law" stage on June 23, 2017. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
This bill has been enacted. It is law.
The record's latest action, on June 23, 2017: Became Public Law No: 115-41.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced it on May 11, 2017, and 39 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 7 Democrats, 31 Republicans, 1 independent.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenatePassed
- HousePassed
- PresidentSigned into law