Legislation6 days ago
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To authorize implementation grants to community-based nonprofits to operate one-stop reentry centers.
HR8548Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA)
introduced
HR7950119th Congress
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]
In Committee
Summary
Would create a dedicated Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs inside the Department of Veterans Affairs. It would centralize VA-Congress communications and set leadership, staffing, deadlines, and enforcement rules.
Show full summary
- Congressional committees and veterans' oversight would get faster, tracked access to records. The Office would have to acknowledge requests within 2 business days and provide a production plan within 5 business days, with records due in 45 days or a partial response in 45 and a full response in 60 when complex.
- Leadership and staffing rules would be set. An Assistant Secretary would be appointed by the President with Senate confirmation. A noncareer Deputy would handle legislative strategy and a career Senior Executive Service Deputy would run congressional operations. At least 65 percent of staff would be career employees and political appointees could not replace core operational roles.
- New transparency and penalties would be imposed. Officials could not withhold, alter, or delay requested committee information. If deadlines are missed the Secretary must issue a notice and corrective plan, suspend the Office's salary and expense obligations during noncompliance except for compliance work, the Inspector General must review and report within 60 days, and the Comptroller General must evaluate implementation within two years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New leadership and staffing rules
If enacted, the Office would be headed by an Assistant Secretary appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It would create two deputies: a noncareer Deputy for Legislative Strategy to set policy positions and a career Senior Executive Service Deputy for Congressional Operations to produce and send materials. At least 65% of the Office’s full-time jobs must be career competitive-service employees. The bill would also raise the statutory cap on deputy assistant secretaries from 19 to 21.
New VA office for Congress
If enacted, the Department of Veterans Affairs would create an Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs to be the VA’s main contact with Congress. The Office would coordinate hearings, briefings, testimony, and legislative work. It would require prompt acknowledgement of committee requests (within 2 business days), a production plan within 5 business days, and delivery of requested records within 45 days (or partial by 45 and complete by 60 if complex). VA would be barred from withholding, altering, delaying for political review, or substituting summaries for requested committee records unless the committee allows summaries or the law requires nondisclosure.
Oversight and enforcement rules
If enacted, the bill would require corrective steps when VA misses response deadlines. The Secretary would have to notify the requesting committee, file a corrective action plan with deadlines, and the Office’s salary and expense funds could not be obligated during noncompliance except to achieve compliance. The Inspector General must report to the committees within 60 days after notification. The Government Accountability Office must also evaluate implementation and report to the Veterans’ Affairs committees within two years of enactment.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]
TX • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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