Overview
Title
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report annually on compensation for police officers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
ELI5 AI
This bill wants the people in charge of helping veterans to make a special report each year about how much money their police officers earn, like their salaries and bonuses. It’s like making sure everyone knows how much the officers are getting paid for their work.
Summary AI
H.R. 10105 is a proposed bill aimed at amending title 38 of the United States Code to mandate the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report annually on the compensation provided to police officers within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill requires the report to include details on various forms of compensation such as salaries, bonuses, and additional pay, with specific categorization based on different police officer positions. The first report must be submitted within six months of the bill's enactment. The bill is introduced by Mr. Mrvan and Mrs. Kiggans and was sent to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for consideration.
Published
Keywords AI
Sources
Bill Statistics
Size
Language
Complexity
AnalysisAI
Summary of the Bill
The bill titled "Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act" aims to amend title 38 of the United States Code. It directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit an annual report to Congress detailing compensation for police officers within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report is expected to include information on salaries, availability pay, and bonuses for recruitment or retention, among other forms of compensation. This compensation data must also be broken down by facility and position, based on specific classifications in the General Schedule.
Significant Issues
There are several notable issues with the bill that could affect its implementation and effectiveness:
Lack of Criteria for Bonuses: The legislation does not provide specific criteria for determining bonuses for police officers. This omission could lead to subjective decisions that result in inconsistent or unfair compensation practices.
Budgetary Implications: The potential financial impact of these bonuses and other forms of compensation on the Department of Veterans Affairs' budget is not addressed. This lack of foresight might lead to unexpected fiscal challenges in the future.
Vagueness in Reporting: The requirement for the annual report to be submitted "not less than once each calendar year" is ambiguous, leaving room for misinterpretation regarding its frequency and timing.
Administrative Burden: The level of detail required for disaggregated data by facility and position could place a significant administrative burden on the Department, without a clear articulation of the benefits of such meticulous reporting.
Oversight and Accuracy: There is no mention of an oversight mechanism to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the data reported, which could compromise the integrity of the outcomes.
Clarity on Compensation: Ambiguous terms like "any other compensation" are not clearly defined, which can lead to varying interpretations and reporting inconsistencies.
Impact on the Public
This legislation primarily impacts Department of Veterans Affairs police officers and the operational oversight of the Department itself. For the general public, such transparency in compensation might foster greater trust in how taxpayer dollars are utilized within public institutions. However, the administrative inefficiencies and potential for inconsistencies in reporting could undermine these intended outcomes.
Stakeholder Impact
Positive Impact:
For Police Officers: This bill could result in improved transparency and potentially fairer compensation practices, as it mandates a clear and consistent report on various compensation elements.
For Policymakers and Oversight Bodies: Detailed reports could aid in evaluating and formulating policies related to staffing and compensation within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Negative Impact:
For the Department of Veterans Affairs: The requirement to provide detailed, disaggregated data presents an administrative challenge, which could divert resources from other departmental tasks and potentially slow down other critical operations.
For Accountability and Oversight: Without specific mechanisms for ensuring accuracy and compliance, the reports’ effectiveness might be compromised, reducing the expected increase in transparency and fairness.
Overall, while the intent of the bill - increasing transparency in compensation for police officers - is commendable, the execution and implications could pose substantial challenges for stakeholders involved.
Issues
The bill fails to specify criteria for determining bonuses for Department police officers, which could lead to subjective or inconsistent evaluations, resulting in potential bias and unfair compensation practices. This issue is found in Section 2 and could have significant legal and ethical implications.
There is no mention of the budgetary impact of the bonuses or other compensation on the Department of Veterans Affairs, which could lead to unexpected fiscal obligations and affect financial planning. This issue is in Section 2 and could have major financial implications.
The requirement for an annual report 'not less than once each calendar year' is vague and could lead to misinterpretation regarding the timing and frequency of reports, potentially causing delays or non-compliance. This issue is located in Section 2 and affects both legal compliance and effective oversight.
The section imposes an administrative burden due to the requirement to disaggregate data by facility and position, yet it lacks a clear explanation of the benefits of such detailed reporting. This is noted in Section 2 and could lead to inefficiencies within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
There is no oversight or review mechanism for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the reports submitted by the Secretary, which could undermine the integrity of the reported data. This issue is present in Section 2 and could impact the legislation's effectiveness and credibility.
The section lacks specification on the form or format of the report, which may lead to inconsistencies in reporting across different regions and facilities. This could diminish the reliability of the data collected and is identified in Section 906.
The section does not define 'any other compensation' clearly, leading to varied interpretations that could affect how compensation is reported and understood. This appears in Section 906 and could complicate the reporting process.
The language of 'successor classifications' for positions is vague, creating uncertainty about how changes to job classifications will be managed or communicated. This issue in Section 906 could cause confusion and lack of clarity in reporting.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
This section states that the official name for the act is the “Veterans’ Security and Pay Transparency Act.”
2. Annual report on compensation for police officers of the Department of Veterans Affairs Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a yearly report to Congress detailing the compensation, including salaries, bonuses, and other payments, for Department of Veterans Affairs police officers. This report must categorize the information by facility and specific job positions within certain classifications of the General Schedule.
906. Annual report on compensation for Department police officers Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section requires that the Secretary submits an annual report to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs about the pay and compensation of Department police officers, detailing various types of compensation for different police-related positions, including chiefs, officers, and security specialists, at different Department facilities.