[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3466 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3466

   To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller 
 General of the United States to submit to Congress reports regarding 
    security and safety at facilities of the Department of Veterans 
                    Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 12, 2023

  Mr. Moran (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Thune, Mrs. 
Shaheen, Mr. Daines, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Rounds, and Mr. Vance) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                          on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller 
 General of the United States to submit to Congress reports regarding 
    security and safety at facilities of the Department of Veterans 
                    Affairs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``VA Medical Center Security Report 
Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL REVIEW OF SECURITY AT COVERED FACILITIES OF THE 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Annual Survey.--
            (1) In general.--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 covered facility.
            (2) Elements.--Each annual survey required by paragraph (1) 
        with respect to a covered facility shall include questions 
        about--
                    (A) the type and frequency of criminal activity 
                experienced at the covered facility during the 12 
                months prior to the date the covered employee completes 
                the survey;
                    (B) the number of vacant positions for Department 
                police officers at the covered facility and the number 
                of days each vacant position has been vacant;
                    (C) the availability and adequacy of covered 
                equipment;
                    (D) the availability and adequacy of resources, 
                classes, or other time set aside for training 
                Department police officers who work at each covered 
                facility 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;
                    (E) any security weakness;
                    (F) an analysis of the relationship between the 
                covered facility (including the Department police 
                officers who work at the covered facility) and local 
                law enforcement agencies;
                    (G) efforts by the personnel of the covered 
                facility to address and reduce criminal activity at, or 
                in close proximity to, the covered facility; and
                    (H) recommendations for the Secretary to better 
                address and reduce criminal activity at, or in close 
                proximity to, covered facilities.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--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 the 
        Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
        on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives an annual 
        report regarding security at covered facilities.
            (2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include, for the period covered by the report, the 
        following:
                    (A) The results of the annual survey required by 
                subsection (a) for the year covered by the report.
                    (B) 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 required by subsection (a) 
                for the year covered by the report.
                    (C) 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.
                    (D) A list of each vacant position for police chief 
                or deputy police chief at each covered facility, and 
                the number of days the position has been vacant.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered equipment.--The term ``covered equipment'' 
        means any item issued by the Secretary 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) Covered employee.--The term ``covered employee'' means 
        any employee of the Department who is employed at a covered 
        facility as a police chief, a facility emergency management 
        leader, a facility director, or a person carrying out the 
        responsibilities of one of these positions in an acting 
        capacity.
            (3) Covered facility.--The term ``covered facility'' means 
        any facility of the Department where Department police officers 
        have jurisdiction.
            (4) Department police officer.--The term ``Department 
        police officer'' has the meaning given to such term as used in 
        section 902 of title 38, United States Code.
            (5) Security weakness.--The term ``security weakness'' 
        means a deficiency in the facilities, staffing, or covered 
        equipment at a covered facility that a covered employee of the 
        covered facility determines presents a risk to the safety of 
        visitors or staff, including an unsecured door, inoperable 
        security camera, unsecured police operations room, a lack of 
        security presence at an entrance to the covered facility, and a 
        lack of security presence in an area of the covered facility or 
        the grounds of the covered facility that the director of the 
        covered facility determines requires an increased security 
        presence.

SEC. 3. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON SECURITY AND SAFETY ISSUES AT 
              COVERED FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a 
report on security and safety issues at covered facilities of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall examine 
the following:
            (1) The ability of Department police officers and other 
        employees of the Department to respond to emergencies at 
        covered facilities of the Department in a consistent and 
        trained manner, including at covered facilities in rural or 
        highly rural areas and across campuses that encompass a vast 
        number of outlying buildings.
            (2) The challenges, both physical and organizational, that 
        must be overcome by the Office of Operations, Security, and 
        Preparedness of the Department to ensure patient, visitor, and 
        workforce safety.
            (3) The quality and functionality of emergency equipment 
        furnished and available to employees at covered facilities of 
        the Department in times of need.
            (4) The Department-wide processes and protocols established 
        to mitigate risks from aging buildings and systems and the 
        emergence of new possible threats.
            (5) The level of training, familiarity, and adoption of 
        such processes and protocols by employees throughout the 
        Department.
            (6) The progress made by the Department in addressing the 
        privacy, safety, and dignity of women veterans at medical 
        facilities of the Department.
            (7) How the Department has implemented policies to ensure 
        privacy and safety of women veterans receiving care furnished 
        by the Department.
            (8) The availability and adequacy of resources, classes, or 
        other time set aside for training Department police officers 
        who work at a covered facility of the Department 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, including crisis intervention training, required for 
        Department police officers.
            (9) The availability and adequacy of equipment furnished to 
        Department police officers for use in the provision of services 
        under section 902 of title 38, United States Code, including 
        batons, firearms, pepper spray, ballistic vests, body-worn 
        cameras, and radios.
            (10) The typical relationship between Department police 
        officers at a covered facility of the Department and local law 
        enforcement agencies.
            (11) Any best practices observed that should be made the 
        standard throughout the Department.
            (12) Any controls used by the Department and covered 
        facilities of the Department to ensure that stationary, 
        computer-based, and portable panic alarm systems operate 
        effectively, notify relevant clinical, police, and security 
        staff when activated, are located in high-risk areas, as 
        determined with input from clinical staff, and are regularly 
        tested.
            (13) What security and incident preparedness features are 
        included as part of facility condition assessments conducted by 
        the Department for covered facilities of the Department, 
        including panic alarm systems.
            (14) What security and incident preparedness features are 
        part of--
                    (A) the capital program requirements management 
                process of the Department; and
                    (B) the strategic capital investment planning 
                business case development and review processes of the 
                Department.
            (15) Any related areas of interest determined by the 
        Comptroller General to be relevant for inclusion in the report.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered facility.--The term ``covered facility'' means 
        any facility of the Department where Department police officers 
        have jurisdiction.
            (2) Department police officer.--The term ``Department 
        police officer'' means an employee of the Department described 
        in section 902(a) of title 38, United States Code.
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