Improving VA Workforce Diversity Through Minority-serving Institutions Act of 2022

Bill: 117-hr-7393
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2022-04-05
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Department of Veterans Affairs

Employee hiring

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government information and archives

Government studies and investigations

Higher education

Minority education

Minority employment

Public-private cooperation
Latest action: action_date: 2022-04-06
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-04-05
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Improving VA Workforce Diversity Through Minority-serving Institutions Act of 2022</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop plans for hiring and recruiting diverse candidates.</p> <p>Specifically, the VA must develop and carry out an employee recruitment strategy that includes partnering with minority-serving institutions.</p> <p>The VA must also develop and carry out a plan to ensure that (1) vacant positions may be filled from a candidate pool that includes diverse leaders and diverse candidates identified for promotion; and (2) such positions must be filled using promotion panels comprised of diverse evaluators, reviewers, or assessors.</p> <p>Additionally, the VA may establish a program, in coordination with minority-serving professional organizations, to foster and encourage individuals from underserved communities to serve in the Senior Executive Service of the VA.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7393 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 5, 2022 Ms. Ocasio-Cortez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop an employee recruitment strategy that includes partnering with minority-serving institutions, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving VA Workforce Diversity Through Minority-serving Institutions Act of 2022 . 2. Improvement to workforce planning and recruitment by Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Employee recruitment strategy The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— (1) develop and carry out an employee recruitment strategy for the Department of Veterans Affairs that includes partnering with minority-serving institutions (as defined in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1067q(a) )); and (2) develop and carry out a plan to ensure that— (A) vacant positions in the Department may be filled from a pool of candidates that includes— (i) diverse leaders; and (ii) diverse candidates identified for promotion; and (B) such positions are filled using promotion panels that comprise diverse evaluators, reviewers, or assessors. (b) Program In developing the plan under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary may establish a program, in coordination with minority-serving professional organizations, to foster and encourage individuals from underserved communities to serve in the Senior Executive Service of the Department. (c) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the progress made by the Secretary to implement the strategy and plan developed under subsection (a).