VET Protection Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-1461
Sponsor: Rep. Arrington, Jodey C. [R-TX-19]
Introduced: 2017-03-09 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Veterans Affairs
Employee hiring
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health personnel
Labor-management relations
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-09
text: 

Veterans, Employees, and Taxpayers Protection Act of 2017 or the VET Protection Act of 2017

 
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) track the use of official time by VA employees accurately; and (2) submit to the Office of Personnel Management and Congress, by October 1 of each fiscal year, a report on such use. "Official time" means any period of time granted to an employee under federal labor-management provisions to perform representational or consultative functions during which the employee would otherwise be in a duty status.
 
The bill prohibits: (1) a VA employee from using official time to carry out political activities or activities relating to lobbying; (2) a VA physician, dentist, podiatrist, chiropractor, or optometrist from using official time for any purpose; (3) other VA employees involved with direct patient care and other employees whose rate of basic pay is equal to or higher than a GS-13 from spending more than 25% of the time such employee would otherwise be in a duty status on official time; and (4) any VA employee from spending more than 50% of the time such employee would otherwise be in a duty status on official time.
 
Any exclusive bargaining agreement entered into by the VA shall allow a VA employee to terminate a voluntary allotment for the payment of dues at any time. 
 
The appointment of a covered VA employee shall become final only after such employee has served a probationary period of 18 months. "Covered employee": (1) means any individual appointed to a permanent position within the competitive service or as a career appointee within the Senior Executive Service, and (2) does not include any individual with a probationary period prescribed by a provision applicable to specified health care practitioners. An employee's supervisor shall determine whether an employee's appointment becomes final by 90 days before the expiration such probationary period.

action_date: 2017-05-23
text: 

Veterans, Employees, and Taxpayers Protection Act of 2017 or the VET Protection Act of 2017

 
 (Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) track the use of official time by VA employees accurately and without the use of estimates or ranges of times, and (2) report on such use to the Office of Personnel Management and Congress by December 1 of each fiscal year. 
 
 Each report shall include: (1) the total amount of official time granted to employees; (2) the total amount of official time expended and the amount of official time expended per employee for term negotiations, mid-term negotiations, general labor-management relations, and dispute resolution; (3) the types of activities for which official time was granted and the impact on VA operations; (4) the total annual salary and job title of, and amount of official time afforded to, employees; (5) a description of any room or space designated for official time activities; and (6) a list of any employees granted a waiver and a justification for each such waiver. 
 
"Official time" means any period of time granted to an employee under federal labor-management provisions to perform representational or consultative functions during which the employee would otherwise be in a duty status.
 
The bill prohibits a VA employee from using official time to carry out political or lobbying activities; 
 
 The following VA employees may not use official time for any purpose: (1) a physician, dentist, podiatrist, chiropractor, or optometrist; (2) an employee with an annual basic pay rate of $100,000 or more; and (3) an employee serving a probationary period. Any other VA employee may not spend more than 25% of his or her duty status time on official time.
 
The VA may waive such official time restrictions if reasonable, necessary, and in the best interest of veterans. Such waiver authority shall not be subject to collective bargaining, and the exercise or failure to exercise such authority shall not be an unfair labor practice. 
 
An exclusive bargaining agreement entered into by the VA shall allow a VA employee to terminate a voluntary allotment for the payment of dues at any time. 
 
The appointment of a covered VA employee shall become final only after such employee has served a two-year probationary period. "Covered employee:&quot; (1) means any individual appointed to a permanent position within the competitive service or as a career appointee within the Senior Executive Service, and (2) does not include any individual appointed to a VA health care position for which a two-year probationary period applies. Such an employee's supervisor shall determine whether the employee's appointment becomes final not later than 90 days before the expiration of such probationary period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-23
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 94.
action_date: 2017-05-23
text: Committee on Oversight and Government discharged.
action_date: 2017-05-23
text: Committee on Oversight and Government discharged.
action_date: 2017-05-23
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-146, Part I.
action_date: 2017-05-23
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-146, Part I.
action_date: 2017-05-17
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 13 - 11.
action_date: 2017-05-17
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-03-21
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2017-03-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2017-03-20
text: Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Discharged.
action_date: 2017-03-09
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-03-09
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-03-09
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-03-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-03-09
text: Introduced in House