Accountability to Safeguard Veterans from Violent Crimes Act of 2016

To reduce the benefits of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs who are medical professionals and were convicted of violent crimes against veterans, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Accountability to Safeguard Veterans from Violent Crimes Act of 2016 2. Reduction of benefits for medical professionals of Department of Veterans Affairs convicted of violent crimes against veterans (a) In general Chapter 7 715. Reduction of benefits of medical professionals convicted of violent crimes against veterans (a) Reduction of annuity for removed employee The covered service of an individual removed from a covered position under section 713 of this title or subchapter V of chapter 74 of this title shall not be taken into account for purposes of calculating an annuity with respect to such individual under chapter 83 or chapter 84 (b) Reduction of annuity for retired employee (1) The Secretary may order that the covered service of an individual who is subject to a removal or transfer action under section 713 of this title or subchapter V of chapter 74 of this title but who leaves employment at the Department prior to the issuance of a final decision with respect to such action shall not be taken into account for purposes of calculating an annuity with respect to such individual under chapter 83 or chapter 84 (2) The Secretary shall make such an order not later than 7 days after the date on which such individual is convicted of such felony. (3) Not later than 30 days after the Secretary issues any order with respect to an individual under paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall recalculate the annuity of the individual. (c) Lump-Sum Annuity Credit Any individual with respect to whom an annuity is reduced under subsection (a) or (b) shall be entitled to be paid so much of such individual’s lump-sum credit as is attributable to the period of covered service. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered position (2) The term covered service (3) The term crime of violence (4) The term lump-sum credit (5) The term senior executive position (6) The term service . (b) Application Section 715 of such title, as added by subsection (a), shall apply to any action of removal or transfer under section 713 of such title or subchapter V of chapter 74 of such title commencing on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. (c) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 715. Reduction of benefits of medical professionals convicted of violent crimes against veterans. .

Summary: Accountability to Safeguard Veterans from Violent Crimes Act of 2016 This bill prohibits the covered service of an individual who is removed (or who retires before being removed) from a specified medical professional position in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and who is convicted of committing a crime of violence against a veteran while employed in such position from being taken into account for purposes of calculating a federal retirement annuity for such individual. "Covered service" means the period of service beginning on the date the VA determines such individual engaged in activity that gave rise to the removal action and ending on the date such individual is removed from or leaves VA employment. An individual whose annuity is reduced pursuant to this bill shall be entitled to be paid so much of such individual's lump-sum credit as is attributable to such period of covered service.