What Is VA Accountability Act? Donald Trump Asks House To Pass Legislation Already Approved By Senate

The Senate passed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act on Tuesday, empowering Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, David Shulkin, to fire civil servants who fail to perform their duties.

The bipartisan legislation which was approved by Senate via a voice vote is yet to be signed into a law by President Donald Trump. The act will now be presented in the House of Representatives for its approval before it can make it to the president’s desk. Trump has urged the House to hasten its process as the act has already been passed by Senate.

The VA Accountability Act was forged following a 2014 scandal at the Phoenix VA medical center, in which a number of veterans lost their lives after they failed to receive timely treatment due to the medical center's negligence. The people responsible for the scandal made a confidential list of the victims and tried to get away with it.

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When the scandal was brought to light, VA authorities were unable to sanction or terminate the incompetent employees because of existing civil service protections. Hence, the act was formulated, and it will now make the process of demoting or firing federal employees and executives easier, even if the evidence in question supports civil servants, ABC News reported.

In addition, authorities would also be able to dismiss poorly performing employees and replace them with skilled ones. Also, VA executives will no longer be required to testify before the Merit Systems Protection Board, but instead they will directly be questioned by the VA secretary, KGWN reported. Suspension of bonuses and relocation expenses for the guilty or undeserving employees will also be allowed under the act.

If the bill is written into a law, Trump would be fulfilling one of the promises he made to the veterans of the country during his campaigning days. The then-Republican candidate had drawn up a 10-point policy plan, claiming if he became the president, he would not let the veterans be treated unfairly under the system, PBS Newshour reported.

The bill’s authors include Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Montana Sen. Jon Tester, and Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson.

"This is a change in the laws of our country that will bring accountability to one of the most important functions that our government provides to the men and women who serve us in uniform," Rubio said, Washington Examiner reported. "This spring marks three years since the light was shed on the veterans who died — died — while they were stuck on secret waiting lists at the Department of Veterans Affairs," he added.

CVA policy director Dan Caldwell also weighed in on the passing of the VA accountability act.

“When this bill is signed into law, Secretary Shulkin will be able to get poor performers out quickly and drive a new culture of integrity, customer focus, and work ethic within the VA,” Caldwell said, Daily Caller reported. "The regular horror stories have made it clear that veterans deserve much better than the level of service they’ve been getting. Veterans across the country were paying close attention to who supported this effort. It was a long overdue," Caldwell further said.