,,ic  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ab  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(             
,,repres5tatives  ,may #bf1 #bjag,ref]r$
 to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  
,,an ,,act  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$  
,/ates ,code1 to improve ! acc\ntability
 ( employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort  
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !         
,increas+ ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs ,acc\ntability to ,vet]ans ,act
 ( #bjag4  #b4 ,acc\ntability ( lead]s =
 manag+ ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #g ( title #ch1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ 
aft] section #gji ! foll[+ new section3 
#gaj4 ,annual p]=mance plan = political 
appo9tees  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y    
%all conduct an annual p]=mance plan =  
ea* political appo9tee ( ! ,dep>tm5t t  
is simil> to ! annual p]=mance plan     
conduct$ = an employee ( ! ,dep>tm5t :o 
is 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>tm5t4  7b7 ,elem5ts ( plan ,ea*    
annual p]=mance plan conduct$ "u        
subsection 7a7 ) respect to a political 
appo9tee ( ! ,dep>tm5t %all include1 to 
! ext5t applicable1 an assessm5t ( :e!r 
! appo9tee is meet+ ! foll[+ goals3     
7#a7 ,recruit+1 select+1 & reta9+       
well-qualifi$ individuals = employm5t at
 ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#b7 ,engag+ & motivat+  
employees4  7#c7 ,tra9+ & develop+      
employees & prep>+ ^? employees = future
 lead]%ip roles )9 ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#d7   
,hold+ ea* employee ( ! ,dep>tm5t t is a
 manag] acc\ntable = address+ issues    
relat+ to p]=mance1 9 p>ticul> issues   
relat+ to ! p]=mance ( employees t      
report to ! manag]4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical    
am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+ 
( *apt] #g ( su* title is fur!r am5d$ by
 ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to section   
#gji ! foll[+ new item3  #gaj4 ,annual  
p]=mance plan = political appo9tees4  4 
#c4 ,acc\ntability ( sup]visors at      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs = hir+    
well-qualifi$ p  7a7 ,assessm5t dur+    

probation>y p]iod  7#a7 ,det]m9ation    
requir$ ,) respect to any employee ( !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs :o is     
requir$ to s]ve a probation>y p]iod 9 a 
position 9 ! ,dep>tm5t1 ! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs %all require !        
sup]visor ( su* employee to det]m9e1    
dur+ ! #cj-;day p]iod end+ on ! date on 
:i* ! probation>y p]iod ends1 :e!r !    
employee--  7,a7 has demon/rat$         
successful p]=mance2 &  7,b7 %\ld       
cont9ue pa/ ! probation>y p]iod4  7#b7  
,limitation on employm5t aft]           
probation>y p]iod  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,except
 z provid$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b71 no       
employee ( ! ,dep>tm5t s]v+ a           
probation>y p]iod z describ$ 9 p>agraph 
7#a7 may complete t probation>y p]iod   
unless & until ! sup]visor ( ! employee1
 or ano!r sup]visor capable ( mak+ !    
requisite det]m9ation1 has made an      
affirmative det]m9ation "u su* p>agraph4
  7,b7 ,probation>y p]iod deem$ complet$
  7i7 ,no det]m9ation ,if no det]m9ation
 "u p>agraph 7#a7 is made ) respect to  

an employee be=e ! end ( ! #fj-;day     
p]iod foll[+ ! end ( ! #cj-;day p]iod   
specifi$ 9 su* p>agraph1 ! employee %all
 be deem$ to h complet$ ! probation>y   
p]iod ( ! employee effective z ( ! end (
 t #fj-;day p]iod4  7ii7 ,retroactive   
effect ( det]m9ation ,if an affirmative 
det]m9ation "u p>agraph 7#a7 is made )  
respect to an employee aft] ! end ( !   
#cj-;day p]iod specifi$ 9 su* p>agraph1 
! employee %all be deem$ to h complet$ !
 probation>y p]iod ( ! employee         
effective z ( ! end ( t #cj-;day p]iod4 
7#c7 ,notification to ,congress reg>d+  
det]m9ations ,n less frequ5tly ?an      
mon?ly1 ! ,secret>y %all notify !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'      
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives    
reg>d+--  7,a7 ea* in/ance dur+ su* mon?
 9 :i* a sup]visor did n make a         
det]m9ation requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a7    
dur+ ! p]iod requir$ 9 su* p>agraph2 &  
7,b7 ea* su* in/ance includ$ 9 a previ\s
 notification "u ?is p>agraph = :i* !   

sup]visor /ill has n made su* a         
det]m9ation4  7b7 ,sup]visors ,) respect
 to any employee ( ! ,dep>tm5t :o is    
s]v+ a probation>y p]iod 9 a sup]visory 
position at ! ,dep>tm5t1 successful     
p]=mance "u subsection 7a7 %all include 
demon/rat+ managem5t compet5cies 9      
addition to ! te*nical skills requir$ = 
su* position4  7c7 ,p]=mance plan ,ea*  
annual p]=mance plan conduct$ = a       
sup]visor ( an employee s]v+ a          
probation>y p]iod %all hold ! sup]visor 
acc\ntable =--  7#a7 provid+ regul>     
fe$back to su* employee dur+ su* p]iod  
be=e mak+ a det]m9ation "u subsection   
7a7 reg>d+ ! probation>y /atus ( su*    
employee2 &  7#b7 mak+ a timely         
det]m9ation "u subsection 7a7 reg>d+ !  
probation>y /atus ( su* employee4  7d7  
,sup]visor def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m  
sup]visor has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9    
section #gajc7;a7 ( title #e1 ,unit$    
,/ates ,code4  #d4 ,acc\ntability (     
manag]s = address+ p]=mance ( employees 
,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all   

ensure t1 z a "p ( ! annual p]=mance    
plan ( an employee ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs :o is a manag]1 !     
manag] is evaluat$ on ! foll[+3  7#a7   
,tak+ action to address poor p]=mance & 
misconduct among ! employees t report to
 ! manag]4  7#b7 ,tak+ /eps to improve  
or su/a9 high levels ( employee         
engagem5t4  #e4 ,writt5 op9ion on c]ta9 
employm5t re/rictions aft] t]m9at+      
employm5t ) ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,sub*apt] ,i (   
*apt] #g ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates     
,code1 is fur!r am5d$ by add+ at ! end !
 foll[+ new section3  #gag4 ,writt5     
op9ion on c]ta9 employm5t re/rictions   
aft] t]m9at+ employm5t ) ! ,dep>tm5t    
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,be=e t]m9at+ employm5t ) !
 ,dep>tm5t1 any (ficial ( ! ,dep>tm5t :o
 has p>ticipat$ p]sonally & sub/antially
 dur+ ! "o-ye> p]iod end+ on ! date ( ! 
t]m9ation 9 an acquisition by !         
,dep>tm5t t exce$s #aj1jjj1jjj %all     
obta9 a writt5 op9ion f an appropriate  
e?ics c\nselor at ! ,dep>tm5t reg>d+ any

 re/rictions on activities t ! (ficial  
may und]take on behalf ( a cov]$        
contractor dur+ ! two-ye> p]iod beg9n+  
on ! date on :i* ! (ficial t]m9ates su* 
employm5t4  7b7 ,cov]$ contractor def9$ 
,9 ?is section1 ! t]m cov]$ contractor  
means a contractor c>ry+ out a contract 
ent]$ into ) ! ,dep>tm5t1 includ+       
pursuant to a subcontract4  4  7b7      
,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at 
! beg9n+ ( *apt] #g ( su* title is fur!r
 am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to  
section #gae ! foll[+ new item3  #gag4  
,writt5 op9ion on c]ta9 employm5t       
re/rictions aft] leav+ ! ,dep>tm5t4  4  
#f4 ,requirem5t = contractors ( !       
,dep>tm5t employ+ c]ta9 rec5tly sep>at$ 
,dep>tm5t employees  7a7 ,9 g5]al       
,sub*apt] ,,ii ( *apt] #ha ( title #ch1 
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at
 ! end ! foll[+ new section3  #habi4    
,requirem5t = contractors employ+ c]ta9 
rec5tly sep>at$ ,dep>tm5t employees  7a7
 ,9 g5]al ,a cov]$ contractor may n     
kn[+ly provide comp5sation to an        

individual describ$ 9 subsection 7b7    
dur+ ! two-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date on
 :i* ! individual t]m9ates employm5t ) !
 ,dep>tm5t unless ! cov]$ contractor    
det]m9es t ! individual--  7#a7 has     
obta9$ ! writt5 op9ion requir$ "u       
section #gag7;a7 ( ?is title2 or  7#b7  
has reque/$ su* writt5 op9ion n lat] ?an
 #cj days be=e receiv+ comp5sation f !  
cov]$ contractor4  7b7 ,individual      
describ$ ,an individual describ$ 9 ?is  
subsection is any (ficial ( ! ,dep>tm5t 
:o p>ticipat$ p]sonally & sub/antially  
dur+ ! "o-ye> p]iod end+ on ! date ( !  
t]m9ation individual's employm5t ) !    
,dep>tm5t 9 an acquisition by !         
,dep>tm5t t exce$s #aj1jjj1jjj4  7c7    
,cov]$ contractor def9$ ,9 ?is section1 
! t]m cov]$ contractor means a          
contractor c>ry+ out a contract ent]$   
into ) ! ,dep>tm5t1 includ+ pursuant to 
a subcontract4  4  7b7 ,application ,!  
requirem5t "u section #habi7;a7 ( title 
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z add$ by     
subsection 7a71 %all apply ) respect to 

any entity t ent]s into a contract ) !  
,dep>tm5t on or aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t
 ( ?is ,act4  7c7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,!   
table ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #ha
 ( su* title is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] !  
item relat+ to section #habh ! foll[+   
new item3  #habi4 ,requirem5t =         
contractors employ+ c]ta9 rec5tly       
sep>at$ ,dep>tm5t employees4  4  ,pass$ 
! ,s5ate ,may #be1 #bjag4;,julie ,e4    
,adams1,secret>y