HR 2429 United States House · 117th Congress

VA Police Improvement and Accountability Act

Summary
VA Police Improvement and Accountability Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish policies and procedures related to the accountability and staffing of its police force. Specifically, the bill requires the VA to publish specified summaries, statistics, and contact information related to the activities of VA police officers from the previous five-year period. The VA must ensure that each of its police forces is able to provide VA employees and members of the public who contact the force with contact information to directly contact the police force regarding the arrest, ticketing, detainment, use of force, or other police matters pertaining to the individual. The bill requires VA police officers to wear body cameras that record and store audio and video. Additionally, the VA's guidance on the use of body cameras must be made publicly available. Under the bill, the VA is required to track and analyze the following information regarding its police force: arrests made and tickets issued; prosecutions, ticketing, and other actions relating to such arrests; the use of force and weapon discharges; and complaints, investigations, and disciplinary actions. The VA must ensure each incident of the use of force is promptly reported to the Assistant Secretary with responsibility for operations, preparedness, security, and law enforcement functions. The Assistant Secretary must review and investigate each incident (including allegations) of the use of force by a VA police officer, including such situations where any person receives medical attention. The VA must develop a plan that establishes minimum standards for police staffing at its facilities.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2021
Committee Review
Jun 2021
House Passage
Jun 2021
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Apr 8, 2021 Last action Jun 16, 2021
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
4
Committee
6
Jun 16, 2021
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
upper
Jun 15, 2021
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H2777-2778)
lower
May 4, 2021
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
lower
May 4, 2021
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Discharged.
lower
Apr 21, 2021
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
lower
Apr 20, 2021
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
lower
Apr 8, 2021
Committee
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
lower
Apr 8, 2021
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors