S.Amdt. 2997

SA 2997. Mr. BLUMENTHAL submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3944, making appropriations for
military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of title II, add the following:

SEC. 2__. OVERSIGHT OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
STAFFING.

(a) Deferred Resignation Programs, Voluntary Early
Retirement, Reduction in Force, and Similar Actions.--
(1) Report required.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations and
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on any
deferred resignation programs or offers, voluntary early
retirement, reduction in force, or any similar actions taken
by the Department since January 1, 2025.
(2) Contents.--
(A) In general.--The report submitted pursuant to paragraph
(1) shall include the number of employees of the Department
who accepted an offer pursuant to an action described in
paragraph (1) and what each offer entailed, disaggregated by
State, veteran status, disabled veteran status, office within
the Department, General Schedule or Wage Grade level, and
whether the position of the employee has been backfilled.
(B) SES employees.--For any employee of the Department in
the Senior Executive Service who accepted an offer pursuant
to an action described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
list in the report the individual titles and lengths of
service at the Department.
(C) Costs.--The report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1)
shall set forth the costs to the Department for
administration and payouts for each program or action
described in subsection (a).
(b) Staffing Goals and Staffing Levels of Veterans Health
Administration.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once every
quarter thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
submit to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
House of Representatives quarterly updates on staffing goals
and current staff levels of the Veterans Health
Administration, disaggregated by Veterans Integrated Services
Network, including the number of positions filled or removed
in each of the following categories and the number of
contracted positions in each of the following categories:
physicians, dentists, registered nurses, licensed practical
nurses, nurse assistants, non-physician providers, medical
support assistants, and HUD-VASH case managers.
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