OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Va Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor Modernization Act

Floor Speech

Date: May 17, 2021
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Employment and Affirmative Action

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support Representative Lamb's bipartisan legislation, the VA Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor Modernization Act, which is cosponsored by Representative Mann.

This bill would help the Department address diversity and equity issues within VA's workforce. It removes a portion of a 1997 law that limits the number of VA counselors who can advise employees on equal employment opportunity issues, provides alternative dispute resolution, and helps process formal complaints.

VA's workforce has roughly doubled in size since the 1997 law was enacted, and VA requested for the limit to be removed to allow the Department to hire additional counselors to support the needs of a large and still growing workforce.

Our Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee recently held a hearing to examine important steps to address workforce diversity and inclusion at VA. At this hearing, the subcommittee, once again, learned how important these counselors are. This bill builds off that oversight and will assist VA's efforts to support its workforce, which serves veterans every single day.

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