H.R. 5215 — Introduced in House

I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5215 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 8, 2018Mr. Bergman (for himself, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. Bost, and Mr. Dunn) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prohibit employees found to have knowingly misused Department of Veterans Affairs purchase cards from serving as purchase card holders or approving officials. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Affairs Purchase Card Misuse Mitigation Act. 2. Misuse of Department of Veterans Affairs purchase cards by Department employees (a) In general Chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 727. Misuse of Department purchase cards (a) In general The Secretary shall prohibit any employee of the Department who the Secretary or the Inspector General of the Department determines has knowingly misused a purchase card from serving as a purchase card holder or approving official. Such a prohibition shall be in addition to any other applicable penalty. (b) Misuse For purposes of this section, the term misuse means— (1) splitting purchases; (2) exceeding applicable purchase card limits or purchase thresholds; (3) purchasing any unauthorized item; (4) using a purchase card without being an authorized purchase card holder; or (5) violating ethics standards. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 725 the following new item: 727. Misuse of Department purchase cards. .