Tuberville, Moran Introduce Legislation Promoting VA Transparency

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) in introducing legislation to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs' authority to hold poor-performing employees accountable.

In 2017, Congress passed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act with overwhelming bipartisan support in response to the nationwide VA access crisis that exposed a toxic workforce culture at VA that negatively impacted veterans' care. Passage of this legislation gave VA leaders the ability to break through bureaucratic obstacles to discipline or fire poor-performing employees, providing VA employees a healthier workplace and increasing veterans' trust in VA. The Restore VA Accountability Act addresses questionable decisions from the Federal Circuit, the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Merit Systems Protection Board that rendered the authority in the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act unusable for most of the VA workforce.

"Taking care of our veterans is a sacred duty," said Sen. Tuberville. "Veterans should have the best medical care in this country, but at times they have had some of the worst. Veterans shouldn't be waiting in excruciatingly long lines because the VA's priorities are misplaced. This legislation restores the VA Accountability Act to its full strength by cutting bureaucratic red tape to allow VA leaders to discipline employees who aren't doing their jobs."

In 2023, Sen. Tuberville wrote an op-ed about his support for the VA Accountability Act to create transparency at the VA.

U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-IL-12) led the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives and Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, America's Warrior Partnership, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, National Guard Association of the United States endorsed the legislation.

Joining U.S. Senators Tuberville and Moran are U.S. Senators Jim Banks (R-IN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) in cosponsoring the legislation.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans' Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

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