Senate Introduces Bipartisan VA Accountability Bill Streamlining Firing Process

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Free Beacon

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Thursday that would grant the secretary of Veterans Affairs the authority to accelerate the firing of employees for misconduct, a deal that arrives two months after the House passed its own version along party lines.
The legislation extends the appeals period from the House bill for employees placed on administrative leave, but enables the department to withhold pay from those workers who are awaiting a case determination. Similar to the House version, it includes a measure to strip employees of bonuses awarded in error and reduce pensions of workers convicted of a felony related to their job.
The bill would also extend whistleblower protections and codify into law the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection that was set up last month by President Donald Trump through executive order.