WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), alongside lawmakers in both the House and the Senate, introduced legislation to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) authority to hold poor-performing employees accountable.
In 2017, Congress passed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act with overwhelming bipartisan support in response to the nationwide VA access crisis that exposed a toxic workforce culture at VA that negatively impacted veterans’ care. Passage of this legislation gave VA leaders the ability to break through bureaucratic obstacles to discipline or fire poor-performing employees, providing VA employees a healthier workplace and increasing veterans’ trust in VA. The Restore VA Accountability Act addresses questionable decisions from the Federal Circuit, the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Merit Systems Protection Board that rendered the authority in the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act unusable for most of the VA workforce.
“Over the past two years, we uncovered scandal after scandal of bad middle managers or employees at VA committing wrongdoing. But time and time again, we saw these bad VA employees who don’t have veterans’ best interests at heart, just reshuffled to another part of the agency. That has a direct impact on not only veterans, but the mission of VA and the employees who are trying to do their jobs well,” said Chairman Bost. “The intent of Chairman Moran and I’s bill, the Restore VA Accountability Act, is to hold that 1% of bad VA employees accountable. President Trump made this message clear during his first administration, but the Biden-Harris administration and liberal courts refused to act and swept accountability under the rug. We’re going to restore the intent of Congress – and President Trump – by bringing accountability back for good, because America’s veterans deserve to know that the employees who are providing them with the care and services they have earned, are the best and the brightest.”
“While VA employs some of the finest men and women, it only takes a few bad employees to disrupt the culture and service at the VA,” said Chairman Moran. “Veterans are best served when VA leaders have the ability to act swiftly to remove bad employees from the VA workforce. This bill would restore the intent of Congress and help make certain that veterans receive the high-quality care and benefits they’ve earned and VA staff have the healthy workplace they deserve.”
The Restore VA Accountability Act is cosponsored by 25 members in the House, including the following members whose local VA facilities and veteran communities have suffered due to a lack of accountability measures:
“Our veterans deserve a VA that works for them and allows them to fully live the lives they risked so bravely for our freedom,” said Oversight & Investigations Chairwoman Kiggans. “I personally led investigations into the unacceptable conditions at our own Hampton Roads VA and know there are other VA facilities that face similar challenges in countless communities across the country. Having served as a healthcare provider in a VA clinic, I know many of the workers at the VA are deeply dedicated professionals, but it is past time to hold bad VA employees accountable so we can ensure our veterans always receive the quality care they deserve. As the daughter of a veteran, wife of a veteran, and having served 10 years in the Navy myself, I will always stand up for our American heroes and fight to hold the VA to the highest standard.”
“The VA is not a jobs program for bureaucrats,” said Rep. Van Orden. “It is an organization built to serve our vets. It is simple – if you are not doing your job, you should not be working at the VA. I am proud to join Chairman Bost on this bill to ensure the VA can finally hold bad actors accountable and keep only those who are truly dedicated to taking care of our veterans.”
“Our veterans deserve the best from the VA. The 2017 Accountability Act, signed by President Trump, was a crucial step in holding bad employees accountable and protecting whistleblowers, but court rulings and the Biden administration’s decisions have weakened its effectiveness,” said Rep. Luttrell. “The Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025 will fix these issues, giving VA leaders the tools to quickly address problems and ensure every employee meets the high standards our veterans deserve. We will put our veterans first and restore trust in the VA.”
“Our veterans put everything on the line when they heroically decide to serve our country. Our responsibility is to ensure they receive the best care when they come home; if that’s not happening, action must be taken. Like most jobs, you can get replaced if you don’t meet expectations. This shouldn’t be any different for VA employees,” said Rep. Harshbarger. “I know how vital accountability is and that it shouldn’t take a mountain of paperwork and endless hearings to get rid of bad actors. This bill allows the VA to take action quickly, and I’m proud to co-sponsor it.”
“As America’s veterans return to civilian life, it is critical that we provide them with the high-quality support and care these men and women have earned,” said Rep. Obernolte. “Dozens of my constituents have bravely came forward as whistleblowers in our investigation of the problems at Loma Linda VAMC, which produced a nearly 4,000-page report detailing the troubling issues that have occurred there. I am proud to partner with House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost to create legislation that will address this disappointing dysfunction. We are confident that the Restore Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability Act will ensure that both veterans and good VA employees are protected. To support our veterans, we need to correct the deficient VA policies exposed by the Loma Linda whistleblowers. By coming forward, these individuals are helping to create a better VA for all of America’s veterans.”
The Restore VA Accountability Act strengthens accountability by unlocking expedited disciplinary processes for VA employees, ensuring that decisions backed by substantial evidence are upheld on appeal, removing the need for a performance improvement plan before disciplinary action, and aligning accountability processes for poor-performing managers with that of senior executives.
The full text of the legislation can be found here. A one-pager explanation of the bill can be found here.
The Restore VA Accountability Act is also supported by the following key stakeholders:
“The VFW supports the Restore VA Accountability Act to improve VA's ability to hold employees to the high standards our veterans deserve,” said Pat Murray, Legislative Director, The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW). “We appreciate the efforts by our supporters in Congress to provide the Secretary the authorities needed to ensure accountability remains paramount at VA.”
“The mission of the VA to serve veterans requires an essential bond of trust. And for veterans to trust in the VA, employees and officials need to be held accountable for their actions,” said Jim Lorraine, President & CEO, America’s Warrior Partnership (AWP). “The vast majority of VA employees are tarnished by the small number of problematic employees that hurt morale and reputation. Congress has been very forward about this issue in a bipartisan manner for many years, and we are thankful for Chairman Bost and Chairman Moran for reintroducing this essential piece of legislation to restore trust in the VA.”
“Amidst a veterans’ mental health and suicide epidemic, the outgoing Biden administration’s leadership at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs failed our nation’s heroes. They refused to follow the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act which mandates firing corrupt and incompetent VA employees. Additionally, this VA has intentionally acted as a barrier to veterans trying to access timely and quality health care. Passing The Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025 is a crucial step to ensure VA and its employees are held accountable to the law. On behalf of every veteran who deserves the care they’ve earned, CVA urges Congress to act swiftly and support this accountability legislation; it is a matter of saving veterans’ lives,” said John Byrnes, Strategic Director, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA).
“The American Legion stands behind the efforts of Chairman Mike Bost in his multi-session effort to pass the Restore VA Accountability Act. This legislation reflects a commitment to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) upholds the highest standards of accountability and care for our nation’s heroes by providing the Secretary the necessary tools to address poor performance. Our veterans and their families have earned nothing less than exceptional service from the VA. Strengthening disciplinary authority at the VA is paramount to ensuring a VA that serves all veterans with the highest standards. The American Legion remains committed to working with Congress to ensure veterans receive the first-class care that they deserve,” said Mario Marquez, Executive Director of Government Affairs, The American Legion.
"SVA strongly supports the Restore VA Accountability Act, which is a critical step forward in ensuring veterans and their families are served with integrity by the Department of Veterans Affairs," said Jared Lyon, National President & CEO, Student Veterans of America (SVA). "By providing clear procedures for addressing poor performance or misconduct while also protecting whistleblowers and due process rights, the bill strikes a necessary balance to uphold the highest standards of service for our nation's veterans. SVA stands firmly in support of these efforts that promote transparency and accountability, and improve the overall effectiveness of the VA.”
"The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is grateful to Chairman Moran and Chairman Bost for introducing the Restore VA Accountability Act of 2025 to ensure that VA has the needed authority to create and sustain a workforce environment that best serves our veteran community” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder. “On behalf of a grateful nation, we owe our Veterans, their Families, Caregivers and Survivors nothing less."
“We owe an incredible debt to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. We must absolutely ensure the VA system is accountable and effective,” said Major General (ret.) Frank McGinn, President, National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS). “We must right wrongs and dismiss bad actors when they are identified. This bill is a positive step in restoring VA accountability and improving services. We are grateful to Chairman Moran and Chairman Bost for continually stepping up to support our nation’s veterans and thank them for these efforts.”
In the Senate, the bill is cosponsored by Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).
