,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bdai  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #c1 #bjad ,mr4   
,toomey introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0  
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
protect ,am]ica's vet]ans f di%one/y &  
malfeasance 9 ! deliv]y ( m$ical s]vices
 & to hold ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs acc\ntable to ^? !y s]ve4  #a4 
,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,,va ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad4  #b4  
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3  7#a7 ,heal?   
in=mation ,! t]m heal? in=mation means  
any in=mation1 :e!r oral or record$ 9   
any =m or m$ium1 t relates to--  7,a7 ! 
pa/1 pres5t1 or future physical or m5tal
 heal? or condition ( an individual2    
7,b7 ! provision ( heal? c>e to an      
individual2 or  7,c7 ! pa/1 pres5t1 or  
future paym5t = ! provision ( heal? c>e 
to an individual4  7#b7 ,,va heal?      
record ,! t]m ,,va heal? record means   
any item1 collection1 or gr\p+ (        
in=mation ab\t an individual t is       

ma9ta9$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs & t conta9s or relates to !    
heal? in=mation ( ! individual4  #c4    
,prohibit$ ,acts ,x %all be a violation 
( ?is ,act = any (fic]1 employee1 or    
ag5t ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to--  7#a7 kn[+ly falsify any heal?     
in=mation 9 ! ,,va heal? record ( an    
individual2  7#b7 kn[+ly de/roy any     
heal? in=mation or exclude any heal?    
in=mation f ! ,,va heal? record ( an    
individual ) ! int5t to defraud--  7,a7 
! individual2  7,b7 an employee or (fic]
 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t2 or  7,c7 a
 ,memb] ( ,congress2  7#c7 direct ano!r 
individual to commit conduct describ$ 9 
p>agraph 7#a7 or 7#b72 or  7#d7 "k ( !  
commission ( conduct describ$ 9 p>agraph
 7#a71 7#b71 or 7#c7 by an individual "u
 8 or h] sup]vision1 & fail to /op1 if  
possible1 or report to a sup]ior !      
commission ( t conduct4  #d4 ,cause (   
,action & ,rem$ies  7a7 ,cause ( ,action
  7#a7 ,9 g5]al  ,an individual aggriev$
 by a violation ( ?is ,act by an (fic]1 

employee1 or ag5t ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs may br+ a civil action
 aga9/ ! (fic]1 employee1 or ag5t 9 an  
appropriate di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$     
,/ates = damages or o!r legal or        
equitable relief4  7#b7 ,consid]ations  
,9 det]m9+ :e!r to aw>d comp5satory     
damages or re/itution 9 a civil action  
br\ght "u ?is section & 9 calculat+ !   
am\nt ( any su* damages1 ! c\rt--  7,a7 
%all consid] ! am\nt ( b5efits ! (fic]1 
employee1 or ag5t is entitl$ to collect 
f ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs relat+
 to s]vice = ! ,dep>tm5t1 includ+       
retirem5t b5efits2 &  7,b7 may include !
 am\nt ( ^? b5efits1 or a p]c5tage ( !  
am\nt ( ^? b5efits1 9 calculat+ ! am\nt 
( any damages aw>d$4  7b7 ,attorneys'   
,fees & ,exp]t ,fees  7#a7 ,attorneys'  
fees ,9 a civil action br\ght "u ?is    
section1 ! c\rt1 9 its discretion1 may  
aw>d to ! prevail+ p>ty1 o!r ?an !      
,unit$ ,/ates1 reasonable attorneys'    
fees4  7#b7 ,exp]t fees ,9 aw>d+        
attorneys' fees "u ?is subsection1 !    

c\rt1 9 its discretion1 may include fees
 relat$ to ! hir+ ( exp]ts z "p ( !     
attorneys' fees aw>d$4  7c7 ,no         
preemption ,! rights & rem$ies creat$ by
 ?is section %all be 9 addition to1 & d 
n preempt1 any o!r rights & rem$ies     
available "u ,f$]al or ,/ate law4  #e4  
,effects on ,employm5t & ,b5efits       
,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1       
includ+ title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1  
or any contract1 on & at any "t aft] !  
date on :i* a c\rt ent]s f9al judgm5t 9 
an action br\ght "u section #d 9 :i* !  
c\rt det]m9es t ! (fic]1 employee1 or   
ag5t violat$ ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (    
,vet]ans ,affairs may1 )\t prior        
notice--  7#a7 t]m9ate ! (fic]1         
employee1 or ag5t )\t cause2 &  7#b7 may
 t]m9ate any or all ( ! b5efits ( !     
(fic]1 employee1 or ag5t relat+ to      
s]vice z an (fic]1 employee1 or ag5t1   
includ+ retirem5t b5efits1 )\t cause4   
#f4 ,retroactive ,effect ,?is ,act %all 
apply to conduct committ$ be=e1 on1 or  
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4