Senate Unanimously Approves Moran-Blumenthal Bill to Reform VA Accountability

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, the Senate approved legislation led by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Jerry Moran (R-KS) and to improve accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Increasing the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability to Veterans Act includes provisions to: limit paid administrative leave for employees under investigation; hold VA leaders accountable for department mismanagement, hiring well-qualified people, and addressing employee performance; prevent employee conflicts of interest; improve manager training; and close the gap on whistleblower protections.

“This bipartisan bill would significantly strengthen veteran’s health care, and impose tough new accountability, where virtually none existed before,” Blumenthal said. “As veterans’ needs change and men and women return home with visible and invisible wounds of war to heal, VA is in desperate need of a culture change – one that roots out bad actors and incentivizes the very best care for our veterans. This bill serves as a roadmap for how to balance those goals and put our veterans first.”

“The VA has failed to demonstrate a willingness to eliminate corruption by holding individuals responsible for their corrupt behavior,” Moran said. “This legislation will help make certain VA senior executives and health care employees who violate the sacred trust of our nation’s veterans will not be rewarded with unjustly guaranteed benefits or linger on administrative leave at taxpayer expense.”

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