[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2752]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 659. Mr. CARDIN (for Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mr. Boozman)) 
proposed an amendment to the bill S. 1096, 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 of the Department, and 
for other purposes; as follows:

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act of 2023''.

     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 
     who begins employment with the Department on or after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act to receive training that 
     the Inspector General of the Department shall develop on the 
     reporting of wrongdoing to, responding to requests from, and 
     the duty of cooperating with the Office of Inspector General 
     of the Department.
       (b) Timing of Training.--In carrying out subsection (a), 
     the Secretary shall require each employee of the Department 
     covered under such subsection to undergo the training 
     required by such subsection not later than one year after the 
     date on which the employee begins employment with the 
     Department.
       (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 Inspector General.
       (2) Identification of Federal whistleblower protection 
     rights, including the right to report fraud, waste, abuse, 
     and other wrongdoing to Congress.
       (3) 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.
       (4) Identification of the prohibitions and remedies that 
     help to protect employees of the Department from retaliation 
     when reporting wrongdoing to the Inspector General.
       (5) Recognition of opportunities to engage with staff of 
     the Office of Inspector General to improve programs, 
     operations, and services of the Department.
       (6) Notification of the authority of the Inspector General 
     to subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses, 
     including former employees of the Department, as necessary to 
     carry out the duties of the Office of Inspector General under 
     section 312 of title 38, United States Code.
       (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 more frequently if 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 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 
     Inspector General, including a link to any website-based 
     reporting form of the Office.
                                 ______