Congress 117 - HR 2704 - Improving VA Accountability To Prevent Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Act of 2021

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Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration Armed Forces and National Security Assault and harassment offenses Congressional oversight Department of Veterans Affairs Employment and training programs Employment discrimination and employee rights Executive agency funding and structure Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Sex offenses Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination

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Summary

Improving VA Accountability To Prevent Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Act of 2021

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement various policies and procedures related to sexual harassment, other harassment, and employment discrimination.

The bill requires the VA to ensure that

the official who serves as the VA's Equal Employment Opportunity Director reports directly to the Deputy Secretary and does not also serve in a position that has responsibility over personnel functions or functions that conflict with the equal employment functions,
each Equal Employment Opportunity program manager at the facility level reports to the head of the Office of Resolution Management (ORM) with respect to equal employment functions, and
the employment discrimination complaint resolution system requires any VA manager who receives a harassment or employment discrimination complaint to report such complaint to the ORM immediately (or within two business days of receiving the complaint if immediate reporting is impracticable).

The VA must provide employees with mandatory annual training on identifying and addressing sexual harassment, other harassment, and employment discrimination, including with respect to processes under the VA's Harassment Prevention Program.

The VA must regularly review the policies relating to sexual harassment, other harassment, and employment discrimination to ensure its policies are complete and in accordance with the policies established by the ORM. Additionally, the VA must issue a final directive and handbook for its Harassment Prevention Program.

Actions

May 19, 2021

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
May 18, 2021

Pursuant to section 5 of H. Res. 403, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 144, as amended; H.R. 204, as amended; H.R. 210, as amended; H.R. 240; H.R. 707, as amended; H.R. 711, as amended; H.R. 1157, as amended; H.R. 1447, as amended; H.R. 1510, as amended; H.R. 1711, as amended; H.R. 2027; H.R. 2167, as amended; H.R. 2441; H.R. 2494; H.R. 2533; H.R. 2655, as amended; H.R. 2695, H.R. 2704; H.R. 2788; H.R. 2878, as amended; and H.R. 3008. (consideration: CR H2482-2520; text: CR H2517)
May 18, 2021

Passed/agreed to in House: Pursuant to section 5 of H. Res. 403, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 144, as amended; H.R. 204, as amended; H.R. 210, as amended; H.R. 240; H.R. 707, as amended; H.R. 711, as amended; H.R. 1157, as amended; H.R. 1447, as amended; H.R. 1510, as amended; H.R. 1711, as amended; H.R. 2027; H.R. 2167, as amended; H.R. 2441; H.R. 2494; H.R. 2533; H.R. 2655, as amended; H.R. 2695, H.R. 2704; H.R. 2788; H.R. 2878, as amended; and H.R. 3008.(consideration: CR H2482-2520; text: CR H2517)
May 18, 2021

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 403, proceedings on H.R. 2704 are considered vacated.
May 17, 2021

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed. (text: CR H2360-2361)
May 17, 2021

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2704.
May 17, 2021

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2360-2362; text: CR H2360-2361)
May 17, 2021

Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
May 17, 2021

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 21.
May 17, 2021

Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 117-36.
May 4, 2021

Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 22 - 6.
May 4, 2021

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
May 4, 2021

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Discharged.
Apr 28, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Apr 20, 2021

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Apr 20, 2021

Introduced in House

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