Trump signed S.1094 - Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act

Fulfilled another campaign promise. It is said to be the biggest reform of the VA in at least a generation.

I quote from the article of some of the highlights in the new law.

Mr. Shulkin has complained that the current disciplinary process has averaged 51 days to remove an employee, primarily due to a 30-day notice period. The law cuts the 30-day notice to 10 days and speeds up the appeal process. It also lowers the evidentiary standards required to fire an employee, and allows the VA secretary to rescind employee bonuses and relocation expenses in some cases.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, said the VA’s mission has been “put at risk by the continued corruption, incompetence, and scandal of a few bad employees.”

“With President Trump’s signature today, the VA Accountability Act will give the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the authority to remove bad VA employees and hire the best personnel to fulfill the promise we made as a nation to provide for the health and well-being of our veterans,” he said.

www.washingtontimes.com...

The law, which won bipartisan support in both the Senate and House, comes after years of stories about chaos inside the VA, including CNN investigations in 2013 and 2014 that found dozens of veterans died or were seriously injured because of long wait times at hospitals across the country.
"In just a short time we've already achieved transformative change at the VA, and believe me, we're just getting started," Trump said.
The measure passed the House by a 368-55 vote earlier this month. It passed the Senate by a unanimous voice vote.

The new law gives Shulkin and future VA secretaries the power to get rid of employees who break department rules and increases whistleblower protections.

www.cnn.com...

a reply to: allsee4eye


This is a good thing....I am not sure about your one source though. CNN???

About time!
What took everyone so long?

a reply to: IAMTAT

The word "accountability" is something sacrilege in DC.

a reply to: allsee4eye

I for one am grateful for this as a VN vet who has left California for another country because of Cali's discrimination towards my fellow vets. The reason I have a Uni degree is that Safeway in Napa refused to honour my Retail Clerks Withdrawal card and congress guarantee of my job return after an Honourable discharge within 6 months of exiting the service. I own two of those having re-enlisted... Also to my credit is a V type medal which is now a boring topic.... 2 months after discharge I was in an accident where my left leg was broken.... Long story short the VA issued me an intern not a doctor.... after a week they had to rebreak my leg to reset it as it was set crooked.... at that time they found that a burse on foot became rotten.... 59 days in the VA hospital at San Francisco not knowing if my foot could be saved..... a skin graft took 98 percent.... thank God! I was threaten that if I sued them for malpractice the next time I needed the VA Hospital it might not wake up.... after 5 years of a great job I could no longer take the disrespect of the Bay Area I moved. If you cannot change it and do not like where you are move.... now 33 years in the UK I have peace....

Point of my story is many people should not be working to retirement in that hospital....

I did not want Trump as POTUS but Shillery was not an option.... Thank Trump this was passed... Maybe future Vets and Past vets who have not been as lucky as me may not fall prey to unqualified and inept personal who would not do what we accomplished in the Service for the UNGRATEFUL people...
1
The last person who suggested I was a poser cause I use a U in Honourable received a U2U from me with my awards and discharge without my name....

Served my time in the VN Vets Against the War... What really saddens me is that the youth did not hear our chants, "To Hell with National Honour we will not be used again!" I understand that there is Afghan and Iraq Vets Against the War groups.... If you do not learn from history you are destine to repeat the past.... I did my part twice....

Americans do not deserve their Vets!!!!! You see them as homeless and we house and feed those we fought against!

I have a wonderful life in the UK as their BS does not effect me as being home and seeing my brothers homeless does and then hear those in my hometown suggest that they respect and thank the vets..... Wait until the wars are over and the VA bill for Vet benefits cost then they will turn against VA bennies AGAIN....

At least second rate VA employees might loose their jobs now... But then I expect this law not to matter.... in the long term....

Sorry for the rant....

a reply to: IceHappy


As a veteran who utilizes VA health services regularly, I concur with everything you said. Do you feel that the average VA physician's salary of $194,000, and Registered Nurses salary of $73,000 is adequate?

This is a reply to ice happy & carewemust

Another Vietnam Vet here that has used the VA forever. Some Vets in different regions have better experiences but mine has been like yours.

I hope this law will help.

May God bless us all.

Anything that can be done to better the VA and provide more care and support for our Veterans receives my support.

Frankly, I'm disgusted by what I've heard in some cases. I wasn't even going to comment because I was afraid I would rant. So I'll leave it at that, only adding that I have a deep sense of gratitude and respect for Veterans and their service.

a reply to: Sagacity


Before broadcasting the President's announcement/speech live this morning, FoxNews pointed out that this is the only significant bill that has received bi-partisan support, during the Trump administration. That's pitiful.

I don't know if CNN even carried it.

a reply to: carewemust

I agree Care. It's pitiful, and a disgrace. We should be embarrassed that we are not doing better.

a reply to: allsee4eye

Another promise kept, nice.