H.R. 7319

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7319 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7319

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to recoup amounts of awards, bonuses, and relocation 
expenses paid to former employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
under certain conditions.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 2, 2026

Mr. Self (for himself and Mr. Ciscomani) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to recoup amounts of awards, bonuses, and relocation 
expenses paid to former employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
under certain conditions.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``VA Bonus and Relocation Recovery 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO RECOUP AWARDS, BONUSES, AND RELOCATION EXPENSES 
PAID TO FORMER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMPLOYEES 
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

(a) Awards and Bonuses.--Section 721 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``, or a former 
employee of the Department,'' after ``an employee of the 
Department''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) Authority To Collect From Former Employees.--(1) If the 
Director upholds an order of the Secretary under subsection (a) with 
respect to an individual who is a former employee of the Department, 
and such individual does not repay the amount of the award or bonus 
subject to the order within 180 days after the date of the final 
decision of the Director under subsection (b) with respect to the 
order, the Secretary may recover such amount from the former employee 
in the same manner as any other debt due to the United States.
``(2) Nothing in this subsection may be construed to permit the 
Secretary to waive the recovery of such amount under section 5302 of 
this title.''.
(b) Relocation Expenses.--Section 723 of such title is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``, or a former 
employee of the Department,'' after ``an employee of the 
Department''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) Authority To Collect From Former Employees.--(1) If the 
Director upholds an order of the Secretary under subsection (a) with 
respect to an individual who is a former employee of the Department, 
and such individual does not repay the amount of the award or bonus 
subject to the order within 180 days after the date of the final 
decision of the Director under subsection (b) with respect to the 
order, the Secretary may recover such amount from the former employee 
in the same manner as any other debt due to the United States.
``(2) Nothing in this subsection may be construed to permit the 
Secretary to waive the recovery of such amount under section 5302 of 
this title.''.
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