VA Medical Center Security Report Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-3504
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A [R-VA-2]
Introduced: 2023-05-18
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

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Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2023-07-19
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-05-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>VA Medical Center Security Report Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to annually survey certain VA medical center employees (i.e., police chiefs, facility emergency management leaders, medical center directors, or a person carrying out the responsibilities of one of these positions in an acting capacity) to collect information regarding security at each VA medical center.</p> <p>The bill also requires the VA to submit an annual report to Congress on the security at VA medical centers. Among other elements, the report must include the results of the annual survey and a plan for addressing any security weaknesses identified in the results. </p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3504 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 18, 2023 Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to each of the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives an annual report regarding security at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the VA Medical Center Security Report Act of 2023 . 2. Annual review of security at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Annual survey Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of the following five years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Security and Law Enforcement of the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct an annual survey of covered employees to collect information regarding security at each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Each annual survey shall include questions about— (1) the type and frequency of criminal activity experienced at the medical center during the 12 months prior to the date the covered employee completes the survey; (2) the number of vacant positions for Department police officers at the medical center, and the number of days each vacant position has been vacant; (3) the availability and adequacy of covered equipment; (4) the availability and adequacy of resources, classes, or other time set aside for training Department police officers who work at the medical center about any skill or tactic related to law enforcement, including the proper use of force, firearms qualifications and training, procedures for responding to an active threat, and any other training required for Department police officers; (5) any security weakness; (6) an analysis of the relationship between the medical center (including the Department police officers who work at the medical center) and local law enforcement agencies; (7) efforts by the medical center personnel to address and reduce criminal activity at, or in close proximity to, the medical center; and (8) recommendations for the Secretary to better address and reduce criminal activity at, or in close proximity to, medical centers. (b) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of the following five years, the Secretary shall submit to each of the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives an annual report regarding security at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs that includes— (1) the results of the annual survey described under subsection (a) for the year covered by the report; (2) an analysis, made in coordination with the Director of the Office of Security and Law Enforcement of such Department and each director and police chief of a Veterans Integrated Service Network, of the results of the annual survey described under subsection (a) for the year covered by the report; (3) a plan of action that describes how the Secretary plans to address any security weakness identified in the results of the annual survey and includes clearly stated goals with measurable benchmarks for each goal and deadlines for each benchmark; and (4) a list of each vacant position for police chief or deputy police chief at any such medical center, and the number of days the position has been vacant. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered equipment means any item issued by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to a Department police officer (including batons, firearms, pepper spray, ballistic vests, body-worn cameras, and radios) for use in the provision of services under section 902 of title 38, United States Code. (2) The term covered employee means any employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is employed at a medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs as a police chief, a facility emergency management leader, a medical center director, or a person carrying out the responsibilities of one of these positions in an acting capacity. (3) The term Department police officer has the meaning given to such term under section 902 of title 38, United States Code. (4) The term security weakness means a deficiency in the facilities, staffing, or covered equipment at a medical center that a covered employee at the medical center determines presents a risk to the safety of patients or staff, including an unsecured door, inoperable security camera, unsecured police operations room, a lack of security presence at an entrance to the medical center, and a lack of security presence in an area of the medical center or the grounds of the medical center that the director of the medical center determines requires an increased security presence.