[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 18, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5111-H5112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL TRAINING ACT 
                                OF 2021

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6052) to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
require the employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive 
training developed by the Inspector General of the Department on 
reporting wrongdoing to, responding to requests from, and cooperating 
with the Office of Inspector General, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6052

       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 ``Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEE TRAINING 
                   REGARDING OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.

       (a) Training.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     require each employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     to receive training that the Inspector General of the 
     Department shall develop on the reporting of

[[Page H5112]]

     wrongdoing to, responding to requests from, and cooperating 
     with the Office of Inspector General.
       (b) Employees.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
     Secretary shall require--
       (1) each employee of the Department who was employed by the 
     Department on the day before the date of the enactment of 
     this Act undergo the training required by subsection (a) not 
     later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act; and
       (2) each employee of the Department who begins employment 
     with the Department on or after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act undergo the training required by subsection (a) not 
     later than one year after the date on which the employment 
     begins.
       (c) Elements.--Training developed and required under 
     subsection (a) shall include the following:
       (1) Definition of the role, responsibilities, and legal 
     authority of the Inspector General of the Department and the 
     duties of employees of the Department for engaging with the 
     Office of the Inspector General.
       (2) Identification of the circumstances and mechanisms for 
     reporting fraud, waste, abuse, and other wrongdoing to the 
     Inspector General, including making confidential complaints 
     to the Inspector General.
       (3) Identification of the prohibitions and remedies that 
     help to protect Department employees from retaliation when 
     reporting wrongdoing to the Inspector General.
       (4) Recognition of opportunities to engage with staff of 
     the Office of the Inspector General to improve Department 
     programs, operations, and services.
       (d) Design and Update.--The Inspector General of the 
     Department shall design, and update as the Inspector General 
     considers appropriate, the training developed and required by 
     subsection (a).
       (e) System.--The Secretary shall provide, via the talent 
     management system of the Department, or successor system, the 
     training developed and required under subsection (a).
       (f) Relation to Certain Training.--The Secretary shall 
     ensure that training developed and required under subsection 
     (a) is separate and distinct from training provided under 
     section 733 of title 38, United States Code.
       (g) Notice to Employees.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     the Inspector General is afforded the opportunity, not less 
     frequently than twice each year and as frequently as the 
     Inspector General considers appropriate under extraordinary 
     circumstances, to use the electronic mail system of the 
     Department to notify all authorized users of such system of 
     the following:
       (1) The roles and responsibilities of the employees of the 
     Department when engaging with the Office of the Inspector 
     General.
       (2) The availability of training provided under subsection 
     (a).
       (3) How to access training provided under subsection (a).
       (4) Information about how to contact the Office of the 
     Inspector General, including a link to any website-based 
     reporting form of the Office.

  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. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to insert extraneous material on H.R. 6052.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6052, the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act of 2021.
  The VA's Office of Inspector General performs important oversight and 
investigations into a broad range of programs and spending by the 
Department.
  Its work informs our committee's own oversight and has often formed 
the basis of our legislation. However, the Office of Inspector General 
relies on VA employees as a key source of information.
  The better employees are at communicating with the OIG, the more 
effective the OIG is in carrying out oversight. That is why this 
bipartisan legislation introduced by Representatives Underwood and 
McKinley is so important.
  Their bill requires all VA employees to undergo training developed by 
the OIG relating to reporting wrongdoing, responding to OIG requests, 
and cooperating with OIG investigations.
  This legislation is supported by The American Legion and Veterans of 
Foreign Wars, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6052, which requires VA 
employees to receive training on the work that the VA inspector general 
does. This training will help VA employees understand how to recognize 
and report instances of waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as their 
responsibility to comply with the investigations.
  VA's budget request for fiscal year 2023 is over $300 billion. 
Oversight of this Department's massive budget is a major priority of 
mine. This commonsense bill would lead to better oversight by informing 
all VA employees of their responsibility to identify and report fraud, 
waste, and abuse.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Underwood), the brilliant gentlewoman, my good friend, 
and author of H.R. 6052. She serves on the Veterans' Affairs 
Subcommittee on Health.
  Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6052, the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act 
of 2021.
  The bipartisan VA OIG training act, which I introduced with 
Congressman   David McKinley of West Virginia last fall, is a critical 
step to promote accountability at VA and ensure our veterans are 
receiving the world-class care and benefits that they have earned.
  This bill requires every current and future VA employee to 
participate in the VA's OIG training, which will ensure that staff are 
prepared to report fraud, waste, and patient abuse, and are aware of 
protections for employees who report wrongdoings.
  An assessment of initiatives carried out by VA's OIG found that every 
dollar spent on oversight yielded a $21 return on investment. Ensuring 
the OIG can carry out its crucial oversight work will save taxpayer 
dollars, while also improving care and ensuring that veterans receive 
every dollar and benefit that they have earned.
  My commonsense, bipartisan bill codifies OIG's training requirement, 
which strengthens the Department's Office of the Inspector General, 
protects VA employees who report wrongdoing, and most importantly, 
honors the service and sacrifices of our veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote 
for the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General 
Training Act today. I thank Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Bost for 
their support to advance this legislation.
  I also thank Representative McKinley for co-leading the bill with me 
in the House, and Senators Hassan and Boozman for leading this 
bipartisan bill in the Senate.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 6052, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of 
Inspector General Training Act, and 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. 6052.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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