LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Congress to pass H.R. 4031, the
Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014

WHEREAS, In recent weeks; there have been numerous articles and growing
outrage over delays in treatment, manipulated data or created secret
waiting lists to hide long delays at veterans hospitals around the coun-
try; those concerns initially focused on veterans' medical facilities in
Phoenix, Arizona, but now involved 26 facilities in several states; and
WHEREAS, There are 152 medical centers nationwide, with 12 located
throughout the State of New York; as well, there are clinics, nursing
homes and other facilities operated by the Department of Veterans
Affairs that work directly with veterans of all ages, wars, conflicts,
males, females and health concerns; and
WHEREAS, The federal legislation, the Department of Veterans Affairs
Management Accountability Act of 2014, would amend title 38 U.S.C. and
give the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs(VA) authority
to remove employees of the Senior Executive Service, whose performance
the Secretary believes warrants removal, from the government service
completely or transfer them to a General Schedule position within the
current civil service system; the ability to remove such an employee is
modeled after the same authority which Members of Congress have to
remove their professional staff members who work for them; and
WHEREAS, This measure would require the VA Secretary to give the
Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees notice of removal within
30 days of removing an individual; and
WHEREAS, Multiple VA Inspector General reports have linked many VA
patient care problems to widespread mismanagement within VA facilities;
and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Government Accountability Office (US GAO) found VA
bonus pay has no clear link to performance; the Department has consist-
ently defended its celebration of senior executives who presided over
these events, all the while giving them glowing performance reviews and
cash bonuses of up to $63,000; and
WHEREAS, This bill was drafted in response to a year-long U.S. House
of Representatives Veterans' Affairs Committee investigation into the VA
system; and
WHEREAS, This federal measure is supported by Iraq and Afghanistan
Veterans of America, AMVETS, The American Legion, Concerned Veterans of
America and the Reserve Officers Association; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States be and hereby is
respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to pass legislation
to make it easier to fire any poorly performing senior VA employees and
managers, better known as the Department of Veterans Affairs Management
Accountability Act of 2014, H.R. 4031; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, to be
transmitted to the President of the Senate of the United States, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each member of the
Congress of the United States from the State of New York.