December 15, 2022
House of Representatives Passes Chairman Takano’s VA Employee Fairness Act
Press Contact
Miguel Salazar (202) 779-1486
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano’s (D-Calif.) VA Employee Fairness Act. Chairman Takano’s bill would bring parity to the federal workforce by restoring full collective bargaining rights for VA Title 38 healthcare professionals, including registered nurses, physicians, dentists, and physician assistants.
“For our country to ensure that veterans receive the highest quality treatment, we must treat VA frontline healthcare workers with the same level of dignity and respect as other federal healthcare workers,” said Chairman Takano. “VA's frontline workers have dedicated their careers to serving veterans and have been instrumental in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Passing my VA Employee Fairness Act is a step towards recognizing this commitment to our veterans. Throughout the 117th Congress, this Committee prioritized providing veterans with the healthcare they earned, and we are reinforcing that by providing VA's frontline workers, who wholeheartedly provide critical care for veterans, with the workers' rights they deserve.
BACKGROUND: The VA Employee Fairness Act would give VA’s healthcare professionals – such as registered nurses, physicians, dentists, and physician assistants – the same rights afforded to other federal employees that are covered by Title 5 federal employee protections, including other healthcare workers. The VA Employee Fairness Act removes this exemption and grants VA front line healthcare providers their full collective bargaining rights. The legislation passed includes a small modification to clarify that VA’s expedited hiring authority is not impacted by H.R. 1948. The bill is supported by the White House, the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, AFL-CIO, AFGE, National Nurses United, and 218 co-sponsors.
“For our country to ensure that veterans receive the highest quality treatment, we must treat VA frontline healthcare workers with the same level of dignity and respect as other federal healthcare workers,” said Chairman Takano. “VA's frontline workers have dedicated their careers to serving veterans and have been instrumental in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Passing my VA Employee Fairness Act is a step towards recognizing this commitment to our veterans. Throughout the 117th Congress, this Committee prioritized providing veterans with the healthcare they earned, and we are reinforcing that by providing VA's frontline workers, who wholeheartedly provide critical care for veterans, with the workers' rights they deserve.
BACKGROUND: The VA Employee Fairness Act would give VA’s healthcare professionals – such as registered nurses, physicians, dentists, and physician assistants – the same rights afforded to other federal employees that are covered by Title 5 federal employee protections, including other healthcare workers. The VA Employee Fairness Act removes this exemption and grants VA front line healthcare providers their full collective bargaining rights. The legislation passed includes a small modification to clarify that VA’s expedited hiring authority is not impacted by H.R. 1948. The bill is supported by the White House, the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, AFL-CIO, AFGE, National Nurses United, and 218 co-sponsors.
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