H.R. 1259 - VA Accountability First Act of 2017

Bill Text

    Rules Committee Print 115-7 PDF XML

    Showing the text of H.R. 1259 as ordered reported by the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

    Text of H.R. 1259 PDF XML

    VA Accountability First Act of 2017 (as reported)

    H. Rept. 115-34 PDF

    Report from the Committee on Veteran's Affairs

Rule Information

COMMITTEE ACTION:
REPORTED BY RECORD VOTE of 8-3 on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.

FLOOR ACTION ON H. RES. 198: 
Agreed to by record vote of 229-187, after agreeing to the previous question by record vote of 227-185, on Thursday March 16, 2017.

MANAGERS: Buck/Hastings

1. Structured rule for H.R. 1259.

2. Provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

3. Waives all points of order against consideration of the bill.

4. Makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-7 and provides that it shall be considered as read.

5. Waives all points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute.

6. Makes in order only those further amendments printed in part A of the Rules Committee report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.

7. Waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part A of the report.

8. Provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

9. Structured rule for H.R. 1367.

10. Provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

11. Waives all points of order against consideration of the bill.

12. Makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-6 and provides that it shall be considered as read.

13. Waives all points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute.

14. Makes in order only those further amendments printed in part B of the Rules Committee report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.

15. Waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part B of the report.

16. Provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

17. Closed rule for H.R. 1181.

18. Provides one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

19. Waives all points of order against consideration of the bill.

20. Provides that the bill shall be considered as read.

21. Waives all points of order against provisions in the bill.

22. Provides one motion to recommit.

Amendments (click headers to sort)

#Version #Sponsor(s)PartySummaryStatus
2Version 1DelBene (WA)DemocratExpands membership of the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans (ACMV)to include veterans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Submitted
11Version 2Duffy (WI)RepublicanRevised Directs the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to, at a minimum, suspend an individual who has been charged with the sexual assault of a patient at a Department of Veteran Affairs medical facility. Made In Order
13Version 1Hanabusa, Colleen (HI)DemocratRequires that the Secretary issue a final decision with respect to a removal, demotion, or suspension not later than ten business days after receiving the response of the individual.Submitted
14Version 1Hanabusa, Colleen (HI)DemocratAllows the Secretary to reduce a demoted individual’s pay grade by a minimum of a step, depending on the severity of the misconduct. Made In Order
15Version 1Hanabusa, Colleen (HI)DemocratRequires the Secretary to consult with all employees who manage the individual in question in the determination of their performance or misconduct. Submitted
7Version 2Kuster, Ann (NH)DemocratRevised Includes as prohibited personnel practices as described in the whistleblower protection subsection of section 3 with those defined in 38 USC 733(c). Made In Order
8Version 2Kuster, Ann (NH)DemocratRevised Includes actions taken by the central whistleblower office, including through anonymous means, in the whistleblower protections subsection of Section 3.Submitted
9Version 1Kuster, Ann (NH)DemocratRequires VA supervisors to develop performance plans for employees, to include steps taken to address poor performance. It would also improve training for supervisors. Made In Order
10Version 1Lance (NJ)RepublicanRequires a regional office to carry out certain steps if it does not adjudicate claims within 125 days with 98% accuracy. It also would require the Under Secretary for Benefits to explain how the failure of the regional office to meet their goal affected the performance evaluation of the director of the regional office.Submitted
19Version 1O'Halleran (AZ), Gallego (AZ)DemocratLate Provides the VA with additional flexibility to recruit Medical Center Directors and VISN DirectorsSubmitted
17Version 1O'Rourke (TX), Rice (SC)Bi-PartisanLate Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with an experienced non-government entity to conduct an annual survey, over a five-year period, to determine the experiences of veterans in obtaining hospital care and medical services at each VA medical facility. Submitted
18Version 1O'Rourke (TX)DemocratLate Requires that the VA provide the Department of Defense (DoD) with a monthly report illustrating the national average wait times for mental health, primary care appointments, initial disability claims, and disability claims. Provides a Sense of Congress, stating that the VA must take a more effective approach to addressing veteran suicide and providing veterans access to mental healthcare. Submitted
16Version 1Rice, Kathleen (NY)DemocratLate Exempts veterans, members of uniformed services, and whistleblowers from the procedures established under Sections 3 and 9.Submitted
6Version 1Roe (TN)RepublicanMANAGER’S AMENDMENT Inserts "to or" after the word "paid" on page 20, line 15.Made In Order
3Version 1Takano (CA)DemocratSUBSTITUTE Provides for the suspension and removal of VA employees for performance or misconduct that is a threat to public health and safety in place of the proposed removal process.Made In Order
4Version 1Takano (CA)DemocratSUBSTITUTE Restores collective bargaining grievance procedures for VA employees. Submitted
12Version 1Taylor (VA)RepublicanRequires the Veterans Administration to provide a semi-annual report to the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs outlining all instances of Senior Executives who are detailed to a new position within the agency. The report will contain details on the purpose of the reassignment as well as the costs associated with the reassignment.Made In Order
5Version 1Tenney (NY)RepublicanRequires that bonuses awarded to senior-level executives within the Department of Veterans Affairs be reported to Congress on an annual basis.Made In Order
1Version 1Walz (MN)DemocratGrants the VA Secretary improved authorities to hold VA senior executives and employees accountable, protects employees’ constitutionally guaranteed due process rights, and protects employees’ collective bargaining rights under federal law. Made In Order

Committee Votes

Rules Committee Record Vote No. 34

Motion by Mr. Cole to report the rule. Adopted: 8-3

Majority Member
Vote
Mr. Cole
Yea
Mr. Woodall
Yea
Mr. Burgess
Yea
Mr. Collins
Yea
Mr. Byrne
Yea
Mr. Newhouse
No Vote
Mr. Buck
Yea
Ms. Cheney
Yea
Mr. Sessions, Chairman
Yea
Minority Member
Vote
Ms. Slaughter
No Vote
Mr. McGovern
Nay
Mr. Hastings
Nay
Mr. Polis
Nay