Congresswoman Claudia Tenney Applauds the Passage of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) applauded the passage of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017. This important piece of legislation will permit the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to hold employees accountable for their actions by giving the Secretary the authority to remove, demote or suspend an employee for poor performance or misconduct.

"As the mother of an active duty U.S. Marine and Representative of a district with a large veterans population, it is among my top priorities to ensure that our veterans have access to the care they deserve and need. Too often, we hear about employees at the VA who forget that their mission is to serve our veterans. Although the majority of VA employees are hardworking, committed, and honest individuals, throughout the past years bad actors have tarnished the reputation of the VA's service," said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. "The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 will update current laws, giving the VA the ability to hold those who engage in unethical behavior accountable. With increased accountability and transparency, we can change the culture at the VA. This effort will renew their sole mission of ensuring that our veterans, who have made the selfless sacrifice to bravely serve our great nation, receive the most efficient, highest quality of care possible."

In March, the House passed a similar version of this bill, H.R. 1259, the VA Accountability First Act of 2017. Rep. Tenney offered an amendment to H.R. 1259 that would require the VA to submit a report to Congress at the end of each fiscal year, listing bonuses awarded to senior level staff. This amendment was adopted by the House with bipartisan support.

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