# 119-hr-7950: 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.

119-hr-7950, 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., is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3] (R-TX); status in_committee (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7950
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-7950
- Congress: 119
- Title: 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.
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2026-03-16
- Sponsor: Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3] (R-TX)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## 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. - 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.

## Provisions PRIA read

- New leadership and staffing rules: benefit, low. 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 pro…
- New VA office for Congress: benefit, low. 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 (…
- Oversight and enforcement rules: benefit, low. 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 c…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act
- 119-hr-9200: Secure the Border Act of 2026
- 119-hr-5247: To provide for the International Security Affairs authorities of the Department of State.
- 119-hr-9199: Permanent Trump Secure Border Act
- 119-hr-624: RIFLE Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6764: Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee Oversight Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-7950 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7950)

## Related
- [119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-137)
- [119-hr-9200: Secure the Border Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9200)
- [119-hr-5247: To provide for the International Security Affairs authorities of the Department…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5247)
- [119-hr-9199: Permanent Trump Secure Border Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9199)
- [119-hr-624: RIFLE Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-624)
- [119-hr-6764: Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee Oversight Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6764)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7950 (as of 2026-09-21).