Demanding Accountability for Veterans Act of 2015
Requires the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), at the same time the IG submits a report to the VA, to submit a copy of such report to the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs, including: (1) an explanation of any changes to the report recommended by the VA Secretary, and (2) a list of each manager responsible for an issue in a report that recommends actions to address to a public health or safety issue in the VA.
Requires the VA: (1) within seven days after such submission, to notify each such manager of such issue; (2) to direct such manager to resolve the issue, (3) to provide the manager with appropriate counseling and a mitigation plan for resolving the issue; and (4) to ensure that the manager's performance review includes an evaluation of actions taken regarding such issue.
Prohibits the Secretary from paying a bonus or award to any such manager if such issue remains unresolved.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2464 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2464
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the accountability of
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Inspector General of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 20, 2015
Mr. Benishek (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the accountability of
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Inspector General of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Demanding Accountability for
Veterans Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. ACCOUNTABILITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO INSPECTOR
GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 712. Accountability of Secretary to Inspector General
``(a) Submission of Reports.--(1) At the same time as the Inspector
General of the Department submits to the Secretary a report, the
Inspector General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs
of the Senate and House of Representatives a copy of such report.
``(2) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Inspector General shall
include--
``(A) with respect to each report submitted, an explanation
of any changes to the report recommended by the Secretary
during the period in which the Inspector General was preparing
the report; and
``(B) with respect to each covered report, a list of the
names of each responsible manager.
``(3) The Inspector General may not make public the names of
responsible managers submitted under paragraph (2)(B).
``(b) Performance of Responsible Managers.--(1) The Secretary
shall--
``(A) promptly notify each responsible manager of a covered
issue by not later than seven days after the date on which the
Inspector General submits a covered report to the Secretary;
``(B) direct such manager to resolve such issue; and
``(C) provide such manager with appropriate counseling and
a mitigation plan with respect to resolving such issue.
``(2) The Secretary shall ensure that any performance review of a
responsible manager includes an evaluation of whether the manager took
appropriate actions during the period covered by the review to respond
to a covered issue.
``(3) The Secretary may not pay to a responsible manager any bonus
or award under chapter 45 or 53 of title 5 or any other bonus or award
authorized under such title or this title if a covered issue is
unresolved.
``(c) Role of Inspector General.--Any authority of the Inspector
General provided under this section is in addition to any
responsibility or authority provided to the Inspector General in the
Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `covered issue' means, with respect to a
responsible manager, an issue described in a covered report for
which the manager is or was responsible.
``(2) The term `covered report' means a report by the
Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs that
recommends actions to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (or
other official or employee of the Department) to address an
issue in the Department with respect to public health or
safety.
``(3) The term `responsible manager' means an individual
who--
``(A) is an employee of the Department;
``(B) is or was responsible for an issue included
in a covered report; and
``(C) in being so responsible, is or was employed
in a management position, regardless of whether the
employee is in the competitive civil service, Senior
Executive Service, or other type of civil service.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
711 the following new item:
``712. Accountability of Secretary to Inspector General.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
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