,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ajhb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #bc1 #bjae,mr4  
,rubio introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
provide = ! removal or demotion (       
employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs bas$ on p]=mance or misconduct1
 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is
 ,act may be cit$ z ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs ,acc\ntability ,act ( 
#bjae4  #b4 ,removal or demotion (      
employees bas$ on p]=mance or misconduct
  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #g ( title #ch1   
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at
 ! end ! foll[+ new section3  #gad4     
,employees3 removal or demotion bas$ on 
p]=mance or misconduct  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! 
,secret>y may remove or demote an       
individual :o is an employee ( !        
,dep>tm5t if ! ,secret>y det]m9es !     
p]=mance or misconduct ( ! individual   
w>rants su* removal or demotion4 ,if !  

,secret>y s removes or demotes su* an   
individual1 ! ,secret>y may--  7#a7     
remove ! individual f ! civil s]vice 7z 
def9$ 9 section #baja ( title #e72 or   
7#b7 demote ! individual by means (--   
7,a7 a r$uction 9 grade = :i* !         
individual is qualifi$ & t ! ,secret>y  
det]m9es is appropriate2 or  7,b7 a     
r$uction 9 annual rate ( pay t !        
,secret>y det]m9es is appropriate4  7b7 
,pay ( c]ta9 demot$ individuals  7#a7   
,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1 any   
individual subject to a demotion "u     
subsection 7a77#b77;,a7 %all1 beg9n+ on 
! date ( su* demotion1 receive ! annual 
rate ( pay applicable to su* grade4     
7#b7 ,an individual s demot$ may n be   
plac$ on adm9i/rative leave or any o!r  
category ( paid leave dur+ ! p]iod dur+ 
:i* an appeal 7if any7 "u ?is section is
 ongo+1 & may only receive pay if !     
individual reports = duty4 ,if an       
individual s demot$ does n report =     
duty1 su* individual %all n receive pay 
or o!r b5efits pursuant to subsection   

7e77#e74  7c7 ,notice to ,congress ,n   
lat] ?an #cj days aft] remov+ or demot+ 
an individual "u subsection 7a71 !      
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committees  
on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ,h\se
 ( ,repres5tatives notice 9 writ+ ( su* 
removal or demotion & ! reason = su*    
removal or demotion4  7d7 ,proc$ure     
7#a7 ,! proc$ures "u section #geac7;b7 (
 title #e & *apt] #dc ( su* title %all n
 apply to a removal or demotion "u ?is  
section4  7#b7 7,a7 ,subject to         
subp>agraph 7,b7 & subsection 7e71 any  
removal or demotion "u subsection 7a7   
may be appeal$ to ! ,m]it ,sy/ems       
,protection ,bo>d "u section #ggja (    
title #e4  7,b7 ,an appeal "u           
subp>agraph 7,a7 ( a removal or demotion
 may only be made if su* appeal is made 
n lat] ?an sev5 days aft] ! date ( su*  
removal or demotion4  7e7 ,exp$it$      
review by adm9i/rative law judge  7#a7  
,^u receipt ( an appeal "u subsection   
7d77#b77;,a71 ! ,m]it ,sy/ems           
,protection ,bo>d %all ref] su* appeal  

to an adm9i/rative law judge pursuant to
 section #ggja7;b77#a7 ( title #e4 ,!   
adm9i/rative law judge %all exp$ite any 
su* appeal "u su* section &1 9 any su*  
case1 %all issue a decision n lat] ?an  
#de days aft] ! date ( ! appeal4  7#b7  
,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1       
includ+ section #ggjc ( title #e1 !     
decision ( an adm9i/rative judge "u     
p>agraph 7#a7 %all be f9al & %all n be  
subject to any fur!r appeal4  7#c7 ,9   
any case 9 :i* ! adm9i/rative judge _c  
issue a decision 9 accordance ) !       
#de-;day requirem5t "u p>agraph 7#a71 ! 
removal or demotion is f9al4 ,9 su* a   
case1 ! ,m]it ,sy/ems ,protection ,bo>d 
%all1 )9 #ad days aft] ! date t su*     
removal or demotion is f9al1 submit to  
,congress & ! ,committees on ,vet]ans'  
,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ,h\se (           
,repres5tatives a report t expla9s !    
reasons :y a decision 0 n issu$ 9       
accordance ) su* requirem5t4  7#d7 ,!   
,m]it ,sy/ems ,protection ,bo>d or      
adm9i/rative judge may n /ay any removal

 or demotion "u ?is section4  7#e7 ,dur+
 ! p]iod beg9n+ on ! date on :i* an     
individual appeals a removal f ! civil  
s]vice "u subsection 7d7 & end+ on !    
date t ! adm9i/rative judge issues a    
f9al decision on su* appeal1 su*        
individual may n receive any pay1 aw>ds1
 bonuses1 inc5tives1 all[ances1         
diff]5tials1 /ud5t loan repaym5ts1      
special paym5ts1 or b5efits4  7#f7 ,to !
 maximum ext5t practicable1 ! ,secret>y 
%all provide to ! ,m]it ,sy/ems         
,protection ,bo>d1 & to any adm9i/rative
 law judge to :om an appeal "u ?is      
section is ref]r$1 su* in=mation &      
assi/ance z may be necess>y to ensure an
 appeal "u ?is subsection is exp$it$4   
7f7 ,limitation on removal or demotion  
,9 ! case ( an individual seek+         
corrective action 7or on behalf ( :om   
corrective action is s\ght7 f ! ,(fice (
 ,special ,c\nsel bas$ on an alleg$     
prohibit$ p]sonnel practice describ$ 9  
section #bcjb7;b7 ( title #e1 !         
,secret>y may n remove or demote su*    

individual "u subsection 7a7 )\t !      
approval ( ! ,special ,c\nsel "u section
 #abad7;f7 ( title #e4  7g7 ,relation to
 o!r provisions ( law  7#a7 ,! au?ority 
provid$ by ?is section is 9 addition to 
! au?ority provid$ by sub*apt] ,v (     
*apt] #ge ( title #e & *apt] #dc ( su*  
title4  7#b7 ,sub*apt] ,v ( *apt] #gd ( 
?is title %all n apply to any action "u 
?is section4  7h7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is    
section3  7#a7 ,! t]m individual means  
an individual occupy+ a position at !   
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs b does n  
include--  7,a7 an individual1 z t t]m  
is def9$ 9 section #gac7;g77#a72 or     
7,b7 a political appo9tee4  7#b7 ,! t]m 
grade has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9 section
 #geaa7;a7 ( title #e4  7#c7 ,! t]m     
misconduct includes neglect ( duty1     
malfeasance1 or failure to accept a     
direct$ reassignm5t or to accompany a   
position 9 a transf] ( function4  7#d7  
,! t]m political appo9tee means an      
individual :o is-- 7,a7 employ$ 9 a     
position describ$ "u sections #ecab     

?r\gh #ecaf ( title #e1 7relat+ to !    
,executive ,s*$ule72  7,b7 is a limit$  
t]m appo9tee1 limit$ em]g5cy appo9tee1  
or nonc>e] appo9tee 9 ! ,s5ior          
,executive ,s]vice1 z def9$ "u p>agraphs
 7#e71 7#f71 & 7#g71 respectively1 (    
section #cacb7;a7 ( title #e2 or  7,c7  
is employ$ 9 a position ( a confid5tial 
or policy-det]m9+ "* "u s*$ule ,c (     
subp>t ,c ( "p #bac ( title #e ( ! ,code
 ( ,f$]al ,regulations4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical
 & con=m+ am5dm5ts  7#a7 ,cl]ical ,!    
table ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( su* *apt]
 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new 
item3  #gad4 ,employees3 removal or     
demotion bas$ on p]=mance or misconduct4
  4  7#b7 ,con=m+ ,section #dcjc7;f7 (  
title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is       
am5d$-- 7,a7 by /rik+ or at ! end (     
p>agraph 7#b72  7,b7 by /rik+ ! p]iod at
 ! end ( p>agraph 7#c7 & ins]t+ 1 or2 & 
7,c7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  7#d7   
any removal or demotion "u section #gad 
( title #ch4  4  #c4 ,requir$           
probation>y p]iod = new employees (     

,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,9   
g5]al ,*apt] #g ( title #ch1 ,unit$     
,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by section #b1 is 
fur!r am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+   
new section3  #gae4 ,probation>y p]iod =
 employees  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+       
sections #ccba & #ccic7;d7 ( title #e1 !
 appo9tm5t ( a cov]$ employee %all      
become f9al only aft] su* employee has  
s]v$ a probation>y p]iod ( #edj days4 ,!
 ,secret>y may ext5d a probation>y p]iod
 "u ?is subsection at ! discretion ( !  
,secret>y4  7b7 ,cov]$ employee ,9 ?is  
section1 ! t]m cov]$ employee-- 7#a7    
means any individual--  7,a7 appo9t$ to 
a p]man5t position )9 ! competitive     
s]vice at ! ,dep>tm5t2 or  7,b7 appo9t$ 
z a c>e] appo9tee 7z t t]m is def9$ 9   
section #cacb7;a77#d7 ( title #e7 )9 !  
,s5ior ,executive ,s]vice at !          
,dep>tm5t2 &  7#b7 does n include any   
individual ) a probation>y p]iod        
prescrib$ by section #gdjc ( ?is title4 
7c7 ,p]man5t hires ,^u ! expiration ( a 
cov]$ employee's probation>y p]iod "u   

subsection 7a71 ! sup]visor ( ! employee
 %all det]m9e :e!r ! appo9tm5t becomes  
f9al bas$ on regulations prescrib$ = su*
 purpose by ! ,secret>y4  4  7b7        
,application ,! am5dm5t made by         
subsection 7a7 %all apply to any cov]$  
employee 7z t t]m is def9$ 9 section    
#gae ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z
 add$ by su* subsection7 appo9t$ aft] ! 
date ( enactm5t ( ?is section4  7c7     
,cl]ical & con=m+ am5dm5ts  7#a7        
,cl]ical ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+
 ( su* *apt]1 z am5d$ by section #b1 is 
fur!r am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+   
new item3  #gae4 ,probation>y p]iod =   
employees4  4  7#b7 ,con=m+ ,title #e1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7,a7 9  
section #ccba7;c71 by--  7i7 /rik+      
,s]vice or & ins]t+ ,s]vice12 &  7ii7   
ins]t+ at ! end be=e ! p]iod ! foll[+3 1
 or any individual cov]$ by section #gae
 ( title #ch2 &  7,b7 9 section         
#ccic7;d71 by add+ at ! end aft] ! p]iod
 ! foll[+3 ,! prec$+ s5t5ce %all n apply
 to any individual cov]$ by section #gae

 ( title #ch44  #d4 ,comptroll] ,g5]al  
/udy ( ,dep>tm5t "t & space us$ = labor 
organization activity  7a7 ,/udy requir$
 ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( !  
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,comptroll]      
,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all conduct a 
/udy on ! am\nt ( "t sp5t by ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs employees c>ry+ out  
organiz+ activities relat+ to labor     
organizations & ! am\nt ( space 9       
,dep>tm5t facilities us$ = su*          
activities4 ,! /udy %all include a      
co/-b5efit analysis ( ! use ( su* "t &  
space = su* activities4  7b7 ,report to 
,congress ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] !   
completion ( ! /udy requir$ "u          
subsection 7a71 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al    
%all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'
 ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives a report on ! results ( 
! /udy4