,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bbhh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #aj1 #bjah,mr4 ,cruz introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to require the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs to submit an annual report to ,congress relating to the use of official time by employees of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 to limit the instances in which official time may be granted for certain purposes to employees of the ,department1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans1 ,employees1 and ,taxpayers ,protection ,act of #bjag or the ,,vet ,protection ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,labor management in ,department of ,veterans ,affairs 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #g of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter3 ,,iv ,labor management #gea4 ,records on use of official time 7a7 ,tracking of official time ,the ,secretary shall track the use of official time by employees of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs in a manner that accounts for such time accurately and to a specific degree without the use of estimates or ranges of time4 7b7 ,annual report 7#a7 ,not later than ,december #ca of each year1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,office of ,personnel ,management and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives a report on the use of official time by employees of the ,department during the most recently ended fiscal year4 7#b7 ,each report under paragraph 7#a7 shall include1 with respect to the fiscal year covered by the report1 the following information3 7,a7 ,the total amount of official time granted to employees4 7,b7 ,the total amount of official time expended and the amount of official time expended per employee for term negotiations1 mid-term negotiations1 general labor-management relations1 and dispute resolution4 7,c7 ,the specific types of activities or purposes for which official time was granted1 and the impact which the granting of such official time for such activities or purposes had on the operations of the ,department4 7,d7 ,the total number of employees to whom official time was granted1 and1 of that total1 the number who were not engaged in any activities or purposes except activities or purposes involving the use of official time4 7,e7 ,the total annual salary1 job title1 and amount of official time afforded to any employee4 7,f7 ,a description of any room or space designated at the ,department where official time activities will be conducted1 including the square footage of any such room or space4 7c7 ,official time defined ,in this section1 the term official time means any period-- 7#a7 which may be granted to an employee under chapter #ga of title #e 7including a collective bargaining agreement entered into under such chapter7 or chapter #gd of this title to perform representational or consultative functions2 and 7#b7 during which the employee would otherwise be in a duty status4 #geb4 ,limitations on use of official time for certain purposes and individuals 7a7 ,political activities and lobbying ,notwithstanding section #gaca of title #e or any other provision of law1 any employee of the ,department may not use official time to carry out political activities or activities relating to lobbying4 7b7 ,prohibition on use of official time by certain employees ,the following employees of the ,department may not use official time for any purpose3 7#a7 ,any employee appointed under section #gdja7a7 of this title4 7#b7 ,any employee with an annual rate of basic pay equal to or greater than #ajj1jjj4 7#c7 ,any employee who is serving a probationary period4 7c7 ,limitation on all employees ,any employee of the ,department not covered by subsection 7b7 may spend no more than #be percent of the time such employee would otherwise be in a duty status on official time4 7d7 ,official time defined ,in this section1 the term official time has the meaning given such term in section #gea7;c7 of this title4 #gec4 ,termination of collection of dues ,notwithstanding section #gaae of title #e1 any exclusive bargaining agreement entered into pursuant to chapter #ga of such title by the ,department shall provide that an employee of the ,department may terminate a voluntary allotment for the payment of dues at any time4 ,any deductions for dues made pursuant to such allotment shall cease beginning on the first pay period after the termination is made4 4 7b7 ,applicability ,sections #geb and #gec of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by subsection 7a71 shall apply with respect to any collective bargaining agreement entered into before1 on1 or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,subchapter ,,iv--,,labor ,,management#gea4 ,records on use of official time4#geb4 ,limitations on use of official time for certain purposes and individuals4#gec4 ,termination of collection of dues4 4 #c4 ,required probationary period for new employees of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs 7a7 ,probationary period 7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #g of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is further amended by inserting after section #gag the following new section3 #gah4 ,probationary period for employees 7a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding sections #ccba and #ccic7;d7 of title #e1 the appointment of a covered employee shall become final only after such employee has served a probationary period of two years4 7b7 ,covered employees ,for purposes of this section1 a covered employee is-- 7#a7 any individual-- 7,a7 appointed to a permanent position within the competitive service at the ,department2 or 7,b7 appointed as a career appointee 7as defined in section #cacb7;a7 of title #e7 within the ,senior ,executive ,service at the ,department2 and 7#b7 not an individual with a probationary period prescribed by section #gdjc of this title4 7c7 ,permanent hires ,not later than #ij days before the expiration of a covered employee's probationary period under subsection 7a71 the supervisor of the employee shall determine whether the appointment becomes final based on regulations prescribed for such purpose by the ,secretary4 7d7 ,application ,with respect to any individual described in subsection 7b77#a77;,a7 and to whom this section applies1 sections #geja7a7 and #geaa7;a77#a77;,a77ii7 of title #e shall be applied to such individual by substituting completed #b years for completed #a year in each instance it appears4 4 7#b7 ,clerical and conforming amendments 7,a7 ,clerical ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter1 as amended by section #b1 is further amended by inserting after the item relating to section #gag the following new item3 #gah4 ,probationary period for employees4 4 7,b7 ,conforming ,title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7i7 in section #ccba7;c7-- 7,i7 by striking ,service1 or and inserting ,service12 and 7,,ii7 by inserting at the end before the period the following3 1 or any individual covered by section #gah of title #ch2 7ii7 in section #ccic7;d71 by inserting at the end before the period the following3 or section #gah of title #ch2 7iii7 in sections #geja7a7 and #geaa7;a77#a77;,a77ii71 by inserting or section #gah of title #ch after title #aj in each instance it appears2 and 7iv7 in section #geda7a77;,a7-- 7,i7 by striking title or and inserting title12 and 7,,ii7 by inserting at the end before the semicolon the following3 1 or section #gah of title #ch4 7b7 ,application ,section #gah of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by subsection 7a77#a71 shall apply to any covered employee 7as that term is defined in subsection 7b7 of such section1 as so added7 appointed after the date of the enactment of this ,act4