To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7950
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-14: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 13 - 10.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-16T08:08:03Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill (H.R. 7950) aims to create a dedicated Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve coordination, communication, and responsiveness between the VA and Congress, particularly the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs.
Key Provisions
- Establishment and Role: Creates the Office as the VA's main point of contact with Congress, handling legislative engagement, hearings, briefings, testimony preparation, tracking requests, and legislative proposals.
- Leadership Structure:
- Led by a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary.
- Two Deputy Assistant Secretaries: one non-career (political appointee) for legislative strategy and policy positions; one career civil servant for operations, production, and transmission of materials.
- Designed to prevent either deputy from overriding the other, ensuring independence and accountability.
- Staffing Rules:
- At least 65% of full-time staff must be career civil servants (non-political employees).
- Political appointees limited to policy/strategy roles, not operations.
- Response Timelines for Congressional Requests:
- Acknowledge requests within 2 business days.
- Provide a production plan within 5 business days.
- Deliver full response within 45 days (extensions to 60 days with partial response allowed for complex requests).
- Must provide original documents, not just summaries, unless agreed.
- Prohibitions: VA officials cannot withhold, alter, delay, or interfere with information to Congress; classified info handled securely.
- Noncompliance Penalties:
- Written notice, corrective plan, funding freeze on Office salaries/expenses until fixed.
- VA Inspector General review and report within 60 days.
- Reporting: Comptroller General (GAO) must evaluate implementation after 2 years.
- Clerical Changes: Increases authorized Deputy Assistant Secretaries from 19 to 21; updates table of contents.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds new Section 326 to Chapter 3 of Title 38, U.S. Code (governing VA organization).
- Expands VA leadership positions and imposes first-time strict timelines, staffing ratios, and penalties for congressional information requests.
- Introduces checks between political and career roles to balance influence.
Potential Impacts
- VA: Formalizes and streamlines congressional liaison work; enforces faster responses, potentially reducing delays but adding administrative burden and funding risks for noncompliance.
- Congress: Improves access to VA data, testimony, and expertise, enhancing oversight of veterans' programs.
- Citizens/Veterans: Indirect benefits through stronger congressional scrutiny of VA operations, potentially leading to better accountability and services.
- No direct impact on international relations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Veterans Affairs: Staff, leadership, and operations reshaped by new office and rules.
- Congress: Especially Veterans' Affairs Committees, gaining mandated timely information.
- Veterans and Citizens: As primary VA beneficiaries, affected via improved oversight.
- Federal Employees: Career vs. political staff distinctions formalized, with hiring/staffing mandates.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes enforceable timelines and penalties (e.g., funding holds), creating new accountability mechanisms without prior equivalents in VA law.
- Constitutional: Strengthens congressional oversight of the executive branch (Article I powers), addressing potential executive delays in providing information.
- Political: Balances political appointee influence (strategy) with career civil servant control (operations) to prevent politicization of VA-Congress interactions; may reduce partisan disputes over information access.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-14: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 13 - 10.
- 2026-05-14: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2026-04-15: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- 2026-04-15: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2026-03-25: Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 2026-03-24: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
- 2026-03-16: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2026-03-16: Introduced in House
- 2026-03-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. — issued 2026-03-16 — PDF (8 pages)