Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025

Senate Bill

S. 124

119th Congress

Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 16, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Jerry Moran

R - KS

Cosponsors

17

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Summary

This bill modifies VA personnel action procedures, allowing removal, demotion, or suspension of supervisors and managers based on substantial evidence of performance or misconduct issues. Affected employees receive advance notice, representation rights, and access to internal grievances. The bill protects whistleblowers from retaliation and applies retroactively to the 2017 VA Accountability Act enactment date.

Latest Action

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

Introduced1/16/2025

StatusCommittee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.

ChamberSenate

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025

This bill modifies VA personnel action procedures, allowing removal, demotion, or suspension of supervisors and managers based on substantial evidence of performance or misconduct issues. Affected employees receive advance notice, representation rights, and ac

Community Breakdown

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This bill modifies VA personnel action procedures, allowing removal, demotion, or suspension of supervisors and managers based on substantial evidence of performance or misconduct issues. Affected employees receive advance notice, representation rights, and access to internal grievances. The bill protects whistleblowers from retaliation and applies retroactively to the 2017 VA Accountability Act enactment date.

Bill Number: 124
Introduced: 1/16/2025
Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Policy Area: Armed Forces and National Security

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025
Bill Number: 124
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Introduced: 1/16/2025
Summary: This bill modifies VA personnel action procedures, allowing removal, demotion, or suspension of supervisors and managers based on substantial evidence of performance or misconduct issues. Affected employees receive advance notice, representation rights, and access to internal grievances. The bill pr

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill modifies VA personnel action procedures, allowing removal, demotion, or suspension of supervisors and managers based on substantial evidence of performance or misconduct issues. Affected employees receive advance notice, representation rights, and access to internal grievances. The bill protects whistleblowers from retaliation and applies retroactively to the 2017 VA Accountability Act enactment date.

Last updated: 1/4/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Restore Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability Act of 2025 or the Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025This bill modifies personnel action procedures regarding certain employees and executives of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill authorizes the VA to remove from civil service, demote, or suspend VA employees that are supervisors or managers if the VA determines by substantial evidence that the performance or misconduct of such individual warrants such action. This authority does not apply to certain appointees or individuals in their probationary or trial period.Supervisors or managers who are subject to a removal, demotion, or suspension under this bill are entitled to (1) advance notice of the action and supporting evidence, (2) representation by an attorney or representative, and (3) grieve the action in accordance with an internal grievance process.The bill also provides protections from removal, demotion, or suspension for supervisor or managers who are whistleblowers or are seeking corrective action for an alleged prohibited personnel practice such as discrimination.The bill also modifies the procedures to remove, demote, or suspend VA employees or senior executives based on performance or misconduct, specifically by requiring the VA to determine by substantial evidence that the performance or misconduct of the individual warrants such removal, demotion, or suspension. Such procedures must apply retroactively, beginning on the date of enactment of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 (June 23, 2017).

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Allows personnel actions based on substantial evidence standard
Applies to VA supervisors and managers
Provides advance notice and representation rights
Protects whistleblowers from retaliation
Retroactive application to June 23, 2017

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This legislation aims to strengthen VA management accountability while addressing concerns that earlier accountability measures were applied inconsistently. The substantial evidence standard and procedural protections balance management authority with employee due process. Whistleblower protections ensure accountability reforms dont silence those who report problems within the VA.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Subjects

Congressional oversight

Department of Veterans Affairs

Employee performance

Employment discrimination and employee rights

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government studies and investigations

Judicial review and appeals

Veterans' medical care

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

124, 119th Congress (2025). "Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-124

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