[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3466 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3466
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller
General of the United States to submit to Congress reports regarding
security and safety at facilities of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 12, 2023
Mr. Moran (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Thune, Mrs.
Shaheen, Mr. Daines, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Rounds, and Mr. Vance) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Comptroller
General of the United States to submit to Congress reports regarding
security and safety at facilities of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``VA Medical Center Security Report
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. ANNUAL REVIEW OF SECURITY AT COVERED FACILITIES OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Annual Survey.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of
the following five years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
coordination with the Director of the Office of Security and
Law Enforcement of the Department of Veterans Affairs, shall
conduct an annual survey of covered employees to collect
information regarding security at each covered facility.
(2) Elements.--Each annual survey required by paragraph (1)
with respect to a covered facility shall include questions
about--
(A) the type and frequency of criminal activity
experienced at the covered facility during the 12
months prior to the date the covered employee completes
the survey;
(B) the number of vacant positions for Department
police officers at the covered facility and the number
of days each vacant position has been vacant;
(C) the availability and adequacy of covered
equipment;
(D) the availability and adequacy of resources,
classes, or other time set aside for training
Department police officers who work at each covered
facility about any skill or tactic related to law
enforcement, including the proper use of force,
firearms qualifications and training, procedures for
responding to an active threat, and any other training
required for Department police officers;
(E) any security weakness;
(F) an analysis of the relationship between the
covered facility (including the Department police
officers who work at the covered facility) and local
law enforcement agencies;
(G) efforts by the personnel of the covered
facility to address and reduce criminal activity at, or
in close proximity to, the covered facility; and
(H) recommendations for the Secretary to better
address and reduce criminal activity at, or in close
proximity to, covered facilities.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of
the following five years, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives an annual
report regarding security at covered facilities.
(2) Contents.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1)
shall include, for the period covered by the report, the
following:
(A) The results of the annual survey required by
subsection (a) for the year covered by the report.
(B) An analysis, made in coordination with the
Director of the Office of Security and Law Enforcement
of such Department and each director and police chief
of a Veterans Integrated Service Network, of the
results of the annual survey required by subsection (a)
for the year covered by the report.
(C) A plan of action that describes how the
Secretary plans to address any security weakness
identified in the results of the annual survey and
includes clearly-stated goals with measurable
benchmarks for each goal and deadlines for each
benchmark.
(D) A list of each vacant position for police chief
or deputy police chief at each covered facility, and
the number of days the position has been vacant.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered equipment.--The term ``covered equipment''
means any item issued by the Secretary to a Department police
officer (including batons, firearms, pepper spray, ballistic
vests, body-worn cameras, and radios) for use in the provision
of services under section 902 of title 38, United States Code.
(2) Covered employee.--The term ``covered employee'' means
any employee of the Department who is employed at a covered
facility as a police chief, a facility emergency management
leader, a facility director, or a person carrying out the
responsibilities of one of these positions in an acting
capacity.
(3) Covered facility.--The term ``covered facility'' means
any facility of the Department where Department police officers
have jurisdiction.
(4) Department police officer.--The term ``Department
police officer'' has the meaning given to such term as used in
section 902 of title 38, United States Code.
(5) Security weakness.--The term ``security weakness''
means a deficiency in the facilities, staffing, or covered
equipment at a covered facility that a covered employee of the
covered facility determines presents a risk to the safety of
visitors or staff, including an unsecured door, inoperable
security camera, unsecured police operations room, a lack of
security presence at an entrance to the covered facility, and a
lack of security presence in an area of the covered facility or
the grounds of the covered facility that the director of the
covered facility determines requires an increased security
presence.
SEC. 3. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON SECURITY AND SAFETY ISSUES AT
COVERED FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a
report on security and safety issues at covered facilities of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall examine
the following:
(1) The ability of Department police officers and other
employees of the Department to respond to emergencies at
covered facilities of the Department in a consistent and
trained manner, including at covered facilities in rural or
highly rural areas and across campuses that encompass a vast
number of outlying buildings.
(2) The challenges, both physical and organizational, that
must be overcome by the Office of Operations, Security, and
Preparedness of the Department to ensure patient, visitor, and
workforce safety.
(3) The quality and functionality of emergency equipment
furnished and available to employees at covered facilities of
the Department in times of need.
(4) The Department-wide processes and protocols established
to mitigate risks from aging buildings and systems and the
emergence of new possible threats.
(5) The level of training, familiarity, and adoption of
such processes and protocols by employees throughout the
Department.
(6) The progress made by the Department in addressing the
privacy, safety, and dignity of women veterans at medical
facilities of the Department.
(7) How the Department has implemented policies to ensure
privacy and safety of women veterans receiving care furnished
by the Department.
(8) The availability and adequacy of resources, classes, or
other time set aside for training Department police officers
who work at a covered facility of the Department about any
skill or tactic related to law enforcement, including the
proper use of force, firearms qualifications and training,
procedures for responding to an active threat, and any other
training, including crisis intervention training, required for
Department police officers.
(9) The availability and adequacy of equipment furnished to
Department police officers for use in the provision of services
under section 902 of title 38, United States Code, including
batons, firearms, pepper spray, ballistic vests, body-worn
cameras, and radios.
(10) The typical relationship between Department police
officers at a covered facility of the Department and local law
enforcement agencies.
(11) Any best practices observed that should be made the
standard throughout the Department.
(12) Any controls used by the Department and covered
facilities of the Department to ensure that stationary,
computer-based, and portable panic alarm systems operate
effectively, notify relevant clinical, police, and security
staff when activated, are located in high-risk areas, as
determined with input from clinical staff, and are regularly
tested.
(13) What security and incident preparedness features are
included as part of facility condition assessments conducted by
the Department for covered facilities of the Department,
including panic alarm systems.
(14) What security and incident preparedness features are
part of--
(A) the capital program requirements management
process of the Department; and
(B) the strategic capital investment planning
business case development and review processes of the
Department.
(15) Any related areas of interest determined by the
Comptroller General to be relevant for inclusion in the report.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered facility.--The term ``covered facility'' means
any facility of the Department where Department police officers
have jurisdiction.
(2) Department police officer.--The term ``Department
police officer'' means an employee of the Department described
in section 902(a) of title 38, United States Code.
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