The White House has issued a policy statement objecting to—although not threatening a veto over—language in a Senate spending bill to strengthen whistleblower protections at VA.
The provisions are in HR-2577, a spending bill first crafted last year that has become the vehicle for appropriations covering the VA and several other agencies for fiscal 2017. The bill could in turn become the vehicle for a larger measure covering the entire government for the upcoming budget year, since Congress is not expected to pass all the needed individual appropriations bills.
The bill would order the VA to establish a central whistleblower office that is not connected with VA general counsel’s office to investigate all whistleblower complaints and otherwise protect whistleblowers; require certain actions against a supervisor who takes retaliation, including barring payment of any award to a for one year afterward, requiring that any award paid during that period be recouped and mandatory removal on a second offense; improve training on whistleblower rights; and require reports to Congress on whistleblower-related issues.
Said the policy statement, “VA has in place long-standing authorities, remedies, and programs specifically created to address claims of improper retaliation in the workplace, and the Senate is urged to eliminate this section from the bill.”
Similar language is in several other bills, including one that Senate leaders hope to push to a floor vote soon.
Separately, the White House objected to a provision in a pending VA appropriations bill in the House to prohibit performance awards for VA SES members. “This provision would decrease morale among VA’s workforce, disadvantage high-performing SES employees, and could prevent VA from attracting and retaining top talent committed to serving veterans,” it said.
