# 119-hr-2722: VA Funding and Workforce Protection Act

119-hr-2722, VA Funding and Workforce Protection Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-05-22).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2722
- As of: 2026-05-22
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-2722
- Congress: 119
- Title: VA Funding and Workforce Protection Act
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-04-08
- Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 26
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-05-22

## Summary

**Protecting VA funding and workforce**. This bill would block the Department of Veterans Affairs from impounding, transferring, or reprogramming discretionary funds unless Congress passes a new law that explicitly references this Act. It would also set hiring and layoff rules to protect VA employees between 2025 and 2029. - Veterans and career employees: Career veterans removed from VA jobs during the period starting January 20, 2025 through the enactment date would be reinstated to the position they held one day before removal and shielded from reductions in force through January 20, 2029. - Current and prospective staff: The Secretary could not impose a hiring freeze from January 20, 2025 through January 20, 2029 and probationary employees could not be removed without a later Congressional authorization. Removals for poor performance would trigger immediate reporting requirements. - Oversight and funding transparency: The Secretary would have to notify Veterans' Affairs committees if the Department faces a 30-day funding shortfall and certify compliance within 30 days of enactment and annually thereafter.

## Cosponsors (26)

- Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6] (D-MI), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1] (D-OH), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22] (D-NY), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13] (D-IL), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25] (D-CA), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] (D-AL), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] (D-TX), 2025-04-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1] (D-NV), 2025-04-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA), 2025-04-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49] (D-CA), 2025-04-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-04-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3] (D-MN), 2025-04-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13] (D-OH), 2025-04-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (D-MN), 2025-04-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2025-06-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2025-07-14T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Protect VA workers and veterans' jobs: benefit, high. If enacted, the Department would be exempt from any hiring freeze from January 20, 2025 through January 20, 2029. If enacted, career veterans who were removed from VA jobs between January 20, 2025 and the date this Act is enacted would have to be reinstated to their prior (or equivalent) position a…
- Protect VA funding and oversight: benefit, low. If enacted, VA discretionary funds could not be impounded, transferred, or reprogrammed unless Congress later passes a law that specifically references this Act and allows it. If enacted, the VA Secretary would have to tell the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees if VA is within 30 days o…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-2722 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2722)

## Related
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2722 (as of 2026-05-22).