Mobile Courant

U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Jerry Moran of Kansas have introduced a new piece of legislation aimed at enhancing the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) ability to manage its workforce more effectively. This legislative effort seeks to address concerns over employee performance within the VA, a topic that has been contentious since the nationwide VA access crisis highlighted issues with workplace culture affecting veterans' care.

The proposed legislation is intended to reinforce the measures established by the 2017 VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. The original act was designed to empower VA leadership in addressing bureaucratic hurdles that previously hindered disciplinary actions against underperforming employees. However, recent decisions from entities such as the Federal Circuit and the Federal Labor Relations Authority have reportedly weakened these provisions, prompting calls for renewed legislative action.

Senator Tuberville emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards for veterans' healthcare, stating, "Taking care of our veterans is a sacred duty. Veterans should have the best medical care in this country, but at times they have had some of the worst." He advocates for restoring the full strength of the VA Accountability Act to streamline processes for disciplining non-performing staff members.

The legislative initiative has garnered support from several organizations including Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and America’s Warrior Partnership. U.S. Representative Mike Bost from Illinois has spearheaded efforts in the House of Representatives.

In addition to Senators Tuberville and Moran, other co-sponsors include Jim Banks (Indiana), Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee), John Boozman (Arkansas), Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), Kevin Cramer (North Dakota), Pete Ricketts (Nebraska), Jim Risch (Idaho), Rick Scott (Florida), Tim Sheehy (Montana), and Thom Tillis (North Carolina).