Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014

Floor Speech

Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to H.R. 4031, the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014.

I represent the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center, which is the largest VA medical facility in the Nation. I am outraged by the recent allegations of serious misconduct and mismanagement at VA hospitals. I understand the urgency my colleagues feel to act, but this legislation will not solve the problems plaguing the Department of Veterans Affairs because it doesn't address the systemic deficiencies that are preventing our veterans from getting the care they so deserve.

H.R. 4031 has been brought to the floor without a committee hearing or markup. It gives the Secretary of the VA the authority to fire Senior Executive Service (SES) employees at will. The Secretary already has the authority to fire SES employees for cause. The legislation is not only unnecessary; it is harmful because it would allow political appointees to fire nonpolitical senior federal executives for any reason. It would set a bad precedent and jeopardize the Department's ability to recruit the most talented individuals to the VA.

I want to work with my colleagues to draft sensible legislation that will actually solve the problems at the VA with a new metric for accountability and executive performance.

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