118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1096
AN ACT
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.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act of 2023
.
Department of Veterans Affairs employee training regarding Office of Inspector General
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.
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.
Elements
Training developed and required under subsection (a) shall include the following:
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.
Identification of Federal whistleblower protection rights, including the right to report fraud, waste, abuse, and other wrongdoing to Congress.
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.
Identification of the prohibitions and remedies that help to protect employees of the Department from retaliation when reporting wrongdoing to the Inspector General.
Recognition of opportunities to engage with staff of the Office of Inspector General to improve programs, operations, and services of the Department.
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.
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).
System
The Secretary shall provide, via the talent management system of the Department, or successor system, the training developed and required under subsection (a).
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.
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:
The roles and responsibilities of the employees of the Department when engaging with the Office of Inspector General.
The availability of training provided under subsection (a).
How to access training provided under subsection (a).
Information about how to contact the Office of Inspector General, including a link to any website-based reporting form of the Office.
Passed the Senate July 13, 2023.
Secretary