Press Releases

Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) reintroduced his Personnel Integrity in Veterans Affairs Act. This bill would close a long-standing loophole that allows Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees under investigation to resign or retire without any permanent record of misconduct.

“Veterans deserve a VA that holds employees under investigation accountable,” said Congressman Scott Franklin. “Too often, employees under investigation quietly resign or transfer to another agency with no record of misconduct. Allowing misconduct to go unrecorded undermines the integrity of the entire system. The Personnel Integrity in Veterans Affairs Act ensures investigations are completed and findings are preserved so due process and accountability are secured.”

First introduced in March 2024, this measure directs the VA Secretary to ensure findings from any misconduct investigation are permanently recorded in an employee’s personnel file, even if the employee separates from the agency during an ongoing investigation. The measure ensures transparency on settlement agreements and quiet resignations shielding bad actors from accountability.

The need for reform has ample precedent. In 2016, the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) found 96% of reviewed VA settlements omitted proposed disciplinary actions from permanent records. Of more than 200 cases reviewed, 72% involved financial payouts totaling over $5 million.

In 2023, new allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct surfaced through credible whistleblowers who lacked confidence in the VA’s internal process. Although HVAC formally requested information from VA leadership in late September, meaningful action was delayed for more than a month. Several employees implicated either resigned or were reassigned without clear documentation of investigative outcomes, underscoring the very gap this bill seeks to close.

Rep. Franklin testified on this bill an HVAC hearing during its initial introduction in March 2024, where he emphasized the damage caused when misconduct is quietly buried. He pointed to recent whistleblower cases as evidence of how current practices erode trust and fail the veterans the agency is meant to serve.

The Personnel Integrity in Veterans Affairs Act is part of Rep. Franklin’s broader effort to restore transparency, protect whistleblowers and ensure the VA meets the standards our veterans deserve.

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