[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2777-H2778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              VA POLICE IMPROVEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2429) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
staffing, transparency, and accountability of the law enforcement 
operations of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2429

       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 Police Improvement and 
     Accountability Act''.

     SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSPARENCY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT 
                   OPERATIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Provision of Information.--Section 902 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(e)(1) The Secretary shall publish on the internet 
     website of each facility of the Department the following 
     information with respect to the facility:
       ``(A) Summaries and statistics covering the previous five-
     year period regarding--
       ``(i) arrests made by and tickets issued by Department 
     police officers;
       ``(ii) prosecutions, ticketing, and other actions relating 
     to such arrests;
       ``(iii) the use of force and weapons discharge by 
     Department police officers; and
       ``(iv) complaints, investigations, and disciplinary actions 
     regarding Department police officers.
       ``(B) Contact information for employees of the Department 
     and the public to directly contact the police force of the 
     facility, including for an individual (or the representative, 
     attorney, or authorized agent of the individual) to request 
     information regarding the arrest, ticketing, detainment, use 
     of force, or other police matters pertaining to that 
     individual.
       ``(2) The Secretary shall ensure that each police force of 
     a facility of the Department is able to provide to an 
     individual who contacts the police force pursuant to 
     paragraph (1)(B) the information described in such 
     paragraph.''.
       (b) Use of Body Worn Cameras by Department Police 
     Officers.--
       (1) Requirement.--Subsection (a) of such section 902 is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall require 
     Department police officers to use cameras worn on the 
     individual police officer's person that record and store 
     audio and video (commonly known as `body worn cameras').''.
       (2) Guidance.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue, and 
     make publicly available, guidance on the use of body worn 
     cameras by Department police officers pursuant to section 
     902(a)(3) of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
     paragraph (1).
       (3) Consultation.--The Secretary shall issue the guidance 
     under paragraph (2) in consultation with veterans service 
     organizations, civil rights organizations, law enforcement 
     organizations, law enforcement accreditation organizations, 
     privacy rights organizations, and other relevant 
     organizations or experts.
       (c) Data and Reporting on Police Incidents.--Section 902 of 
     title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), 
     is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(f) Police Incidents.--(1)(A) The Secretary shall track 
     and analyze the following information regarding the police 
     force of the Department:
       ``(i) Arrests made by and tickets issued by Department 
     police officers.
       ``(ii) Prosecutions, ticketing, and other actions relating 
     to such arrests.
       ``(iii) The use of force and weapons discharge.
       ``(iv) Complaints, investigations, and disciplinary 
     actions.
       ``(B) The Secretary shall carry out subparagraph (A) by 
     implementing one or more Department-wide data systems.
       ``(2)(A) Beginning not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall 
     ensure that each incident described in subparagraph (C) is 
     promptly reported to the Assistant Secretary with 
     responsibility for operations, preparedness, security, and 
     law enforcement functions.
       ``(B) The Assistant Secretary shall, in a timely manner--
       ``(i) review each incident described in subparagraph (C)(i) 
     that is reported under subparagraph (A); and
       ``(ii) investigate each incident described in subparagraph 
     (C)(ii) that is reported under subparagraph (A).
       ``(C) An incident described in this subparagraph is either 
     of the following:
       ``(i) An incident, including an allegation, of the use of 
     force by a Department police officer.
       ``(ii) An incident, including an allegation, of the use of 
     force by a Department police officer that results in any 
     person receiving medical attention.''.
       (d) Plan on Police Staffing.--The Secretary shall develop a 
     plan that establishes minimum standards for police staffing 
     at each facility of the Department, including with respect 
     to--
       (1) the number of Department police officers assigned to 
     each facility; and
       (2) the pay grades for such officers.
       (e) Report on Implementation.--Not later than one year 
     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 
     implementation of this section and the amendments made by 
     this section. The report shall include the following:

[[Page H2778]]

       (1) With respect to the staffing needs of the Department 
     police force--
       (A) identification of the amount of turnover among 
     Department police officers;
       (B) how the compensation for Department police officers 
     affects such turnover;
       (C) a comparison of such compensation with the compensation 
     provided to specialty police units, such as police units at 
     medical facilities and other police units in the same 
     locality pay area; and
       (D) the plan developed under subsection (d), including--
       (i) estimates on the costs to carry out the plan; and
       (ii) any recommendations for legislative actions required 
     to carry out the plan.
       (2) With respect to body worn cameras, a review of the 
     implementation and use of body worn cameras by Department 
     police officers, including under pilot programs carried out 
     by the Secretary during the five-year period preceding the 
     date of the report.
       (f) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``body worn camera'' means a camera worn on an 
     individual police officer's person that records and stores 
     audio and video.
       (2) The term ``Department police officer'' means an 
     employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs described in 
     section 902(a) of title 38, United States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
insert extraneous material on H.R. 2429.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 2429, the VA Police 
Improvement and Accountability Act, introduced by former Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs member Representative Rice from New York.
  This bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Representative Radewagen 
would improve the transparency and accountability of the VA police. 
Specifically, the legislation would require the VA police to publish 
online information about arrests and use of force, as well as establish 
a consistent way for the public to obtain more detailed information 
about those incidents.
  Importantly, this bill would also require VA to have its police use 
body-worn cameras, publish guidance on the use of such cameras, improve 
tracking and analysis of arrests and other police actions, and develop 
a staffing plan that adequately supports every VA facility's needs. 
Together, these improvements will build accountability and trust 
between the VA police and anyone who walks through VA facility doors 
across the country.
  H.R. 2429 was reported favorably by the committee, and I ask my 
colleagues to join me in supporting the VA Police Improvement and 
Accountability Act.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2429, the VA Police 
Improvement and Accountability Act.
  This bill represents months of bipartisan work by the committee. I 
thank my colleagues for their efforts.
  This bill would increase transparency and accountability in the VA 
police force by requiring each officer to wear a body-worn camera. It 
would also require VA to make police statistics public and available 
and report on police actions, including arrests and use of force.
  Madam Speaker, 2 years ago, the VA began modernizing its police 
force. This legislation would support the VA's ongoing efforts.
  Veterans deserve safe environments in which to seek the care and 
benefits they have earned. I believe this legislation and the VA work 
will help provide those safe environments.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
New York (Miss Rice), my good friend, a former member of the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee, and the lead Democratic cosponsor.
  Miss RICE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my 
bipartisan bill, the VA Police Improvement and Accountability Act, H.R. 
2429. This bill takes important steps to strengthen oversight and 
accountability for VA police and law enforcement operations.
  A number of shortcomings with VA's law enforcement operations were 
identified in a hearing held by the House Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs last Congress. Inadequate policing procedures and a lack of 
true oversight for the Department's police force were two of the 
pressing issues raised at the hearing.
  Challenges with management and oversight of VA police were also 
revealed in subsequent reports issued by the VA Office of Inspector 
General and the Government Accountability Office. These challenges 
include insufficient officer staffing, inappropriate conduct, and other 
concerning issues at VA facilities across the country.
  On Long Island, I have worked with one of my constituents who was 
horribly mistreated by the Northport VA police. Our veterans deserve 
much better from an agency that is always supposed to be on their side.
  My bill aims to address these pressing issues with the VA police by 
requiring the VA police to implement the use of body cameras, improve 
data collection and reporting on police incidents at VA facilities, and 
enact other important measures to strengthen oversight and transparency 
for VA's police program.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my Republican co-lead, Representative 
Radewagen, for joining me on this bill. I also thank Chairman Takano 
and Ranking Member Bost for helping to bring H.R. 2429 to the floor 
today.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
legislation to help us better serve and protect our Nation's veterans.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the 
bill of the gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice).
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2429.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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