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119-hr-9665119th Congress

VA Police Security Enhancement Act

Sponsored By: Representative Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would expand VA police authority over VA property and nearby areas and create a dedicated funding account plus reporting rules to modernize security at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.

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  • Veterans, patients, and visitors would see tighter on-site security through required access controls, surveillance systems, rapid response protocols, and closer coordination with other law enforcement.
  • VA police officers would get clearer, broader jurisdiction covering land owned, leased, or immediately surrounding VA sites, and could act off property only to protect VA people or property, in hot pursuit, or under written agreements.
  • The Department would get a Veterans Affairs Police and Security Operations Account to fund hiring, training, and security upgrades, must issue implementing regulations within 180 days, and the new account authority would end after 3 years; Congress would receive regular data and briefings and the Comptroller General would evaluate coordination and training.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Broader VA police powers and security

This bill would expand what counts as VA property to include land and buildings VA occupies, leases, or leases to others, plus the area immediately around them. VA police duties would explicitly include protecting veterans, VA staff, visitors, and VA property and keeping facilities running. VA officers could act off VA land only to protect VA people or property, in hot pursuit, or under a written agreement. The VA Secretary would seek agreements with other police agencies and require security upgrades like access controls, cameras, rapid response plans, and other coordination. The Secretary would have to write rules to enforce these changes within 180 days after enactment.

New VA police funding account

The bill would create a Treasury account called the Veterans Affairs Police and Security Operations Account. Congress could deposit amounts it appropriates into this account. Money in the account would be for hiring and training VA police officers, security systems and infrastructure, and coordination with other agencies. This funding authority would expire three years after the law takes effect.

More VA oversight and GAO review

The bill would require the VA Secretary to provide, on request, policies, arrest and use-of-force data, and briefings to the Veterans' Affairs committees. The Secretary would also send an annual report on VA police staffing, training, capability gaps, and enforcement activity for the prior year. The Comptroller General would evaluate these new authorities and coordination with other police and report to Congress within two years with recommendations about keeping, changing, or ending the authorities.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

WI • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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