Trump signs VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act

United States President Donald Trump has signed the Veterans Affairs (VA) Accountability Bill that will make it easier to fire incompetent employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs, local media reports said.

The VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act will give more protection to whistleblowers that bring misconduct to light.

The Act empowers Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin to fire misbehaving or underperforming employees, shorten the appeals process for that firing, and prohibits employees from being paid while they pursue the appeals process.

The Bill reduces the time it takes to fire poorly performing employees and ensures they don't get paid while they're in the appeals process.

Shulkin would be able to fire senior executives in a 21-day process. Regular employees have an appeal process of no more than 180 days. The bill now goes back to the House, where the revisions are expected to pass easily.

"Our veterans have fulfilled their duty to this nation and now we must fulfill our duty to them," Trump said.

"VA accountability is essential to making sure that our veterans are treated with the respect they have so richly earned through their blood, sweat and tears. This law will finally give the VA Secretary who is, by the way, just doing some job, and he's doing it with this and with the heart," he added.