Recently, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) told Alabama reporters he has joined as a co-sponsor for the Restore VA Accountability Act.
“I also Announced my support for new legislation to bring back accountability at the VA,” Tuberville told Alabama press corps reporters in a phone conference. “Under President [Barack] Obama, there was a national scandal. VA facilities in Phoenix and elsewhere had long lines for veterans to get care – then they covered it up and at least 40 veterans even died. It was an absolute disgrace, so President Trump signed a bipartisan bill to fire VA employees who weren’t doing their jobs.”
Recently, the Biden Administration settled a class action lawsuit brought by the fired employees and agreed to give them their jobs back.
“More than 4,000 VA employees across the country were fired, but now the Biden Administration is ignoring that law,” Sen. Tuberville explained. “They have reached a settlement to give these people their jobs back. They’re even giving them back pay. It is outrageous to the American taxpayer. It’s going to mean worse care for our veterans, so I am supporting legislation to give VA leaders the power they need to hold people accountable. Our veterans deserve the best care we can provide.”
Sponsors say that the legislation would restore accountability for the VA while protecting whistleblowers. Specifically, the legislation would:
· Ensure VA decisions supported by substantial evidence are upheld on appeal.
· Negate the requirement for a performance improvement plan prior to disciplinary action.
· Unlock expedited removal, demotion, or suspension authority for use with all categories of VA employees.
· Align the disciplinary authority for unsatisfactory VA managers and supervisors with the process currently in place for members of the Senior Executive Service.
The passage of the VA Accountability Act of 2017 allowed the VA to cut through cumbersome bureaucratic processes and paperwork to more easily hold bad employees accountable and fire them in an expedited manner. The Biden VA decided it would no longer utilize Section 714 authority as of April 3, 2023.
This allowed many of the 4,000 VA workers dismissed from their duties with cause to return to their positions.
In March, VA Secretary Denis McDonough testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee that “Section 714 wasn’t really helping us necessarily manage our workforce as much as it was getting us in front of federal judges and in front of administrative bodies.”
McDonough stated, “In all cases, we do think we have what we need to manage our authorities outside” the 2017 law.
Tommy Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020.
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