Veterans Affairs Retaliation Prevention Act of 2015

reportedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

27 January 2015

Last action

21 May 2015 · Committee

Status

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Summary

Veterans Affairs Retaliation Prevention Act of 2015 Authorizes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee to file a whistleblower complaint with his or her immediate supervisor. Gives that supervisor two business days to determine and notify the employee as to whether there is a reasonable likelihood that the complaint discloses a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. Requires that supervisor to include in the employee notification specific actions that the supervisor will take to address a complaint deemed reasonably valid. Authorizes an employee whose supervisor fails to make a timely determination regarding the complaint or address the complaint to the employee's satisfaction, to file such complaint with the next-level supervisor, who shall make a determination regarding the complaint in accordance with the procedures this Act requires the immediate supervisor to follow. Authorizes an employee to file a whistleblower complaint with the VA Secretary if the employee has filed such complaint with each level of supervisors between the employee and the Secretary in accordance with such procedures. Requires each employee who receives a positive determination from a supervisor regarding a complaint to be: (1) informed by the Secretary of the employee's ability to volunteer for a transfer, and (2) given transfer preference. Directs the Secretary to carry out the following adverse actions against VA employees who are determined to have committed a prohibited personnel action relating to whistleblower complaints: (1) not less than a 14-day suspension, and not more than removal, for a first offense, and (2) removal for a second offense. Gives employees no more than five days following notification of such a proposed adverse action to dispute it. Requires the Secretary to charge an offending employee a fee that takes into account the costs borne by the federal government due to such prohibited personnel action. Requires the Secretary, when evaluating a supervisor's performance, to take into account any failure to follow this Act's procedures or any commission of a prohibited personnel action relating to a whistleblower complaint. Denies awards or bonuses to supervisors found to have committed such prohibited personnel actions. Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide each VA employee with annual training regarding whistleblower complaints; (2) provide annual training on merit system protection that the Special Counsel certifies as satisfactory; and (3) publish on the VA's website and prominently display at VA facilities the rights of an employee to file, and to petition Congress regarding, a whistleblower complaint.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

27 January 2015
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
27 January 2015
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
27 January 2015
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
27 January 2015
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
6 February 2015
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Source: Committee
13 March 2015
Committee
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Discharged.
Source: Committee
19 March 2015
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
21 April 2015
Committee
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote .
Source: Committee
21 April 2015
Committee
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
21 May 2015
Reported
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Source: Committee
21 May 2015
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Introduced in House · 27 January 2015 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 27 January 2015
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 27 January 2015
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 27 January 2015
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Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/571
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/114/hr/571
us · 114-hr-571 · source updated 12 August 2025