Senate Passes Measure to Boost Executive Pay at VA
The Competitive Pay for Leaders in Veterans Health Care Act, S. 3084, has been passed by unanimous consent in the Senate last week. The legislation makes employees in Senior Executive Service-equivalent positions hired under a special authority created by a 2010 law eligible for a higher salary, rather than capping them at the lowest level of the Executive Schedule.
The legislation has been led by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Jon Tester (D-MT), who lead the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. In addition to waiving the original pay caps to senior executive-equivalents at the VA, the legislation ensures the VA does not retroactively collect money paid to current and former employees that exceeded the lower cap.
The measure specifically applies to top executives in the office of the undersecretary for health who, according to lawmakers, had always been intended to earn up to the higher cap. In 2020, the higher cap is $197,300.
“To deliver the best possible care for our veterans, we need to have the best possible workforce at the Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Senator Moran upon introduction of the bill. “Nine years ago, we passed a law to help VA recruit and retain the best and brightest leaders to manage the many different specialty care functions that VA provides. This bill will make certain that VA retains the ability to provide competitive pay to attract and keep highly specialized and highly competent leaders serving our veterans.”
Senator Moran’s office noted that without this legislation, the VA would face significant challenges hiring qualified healthcare leaders.
“The Department of Veterans Affairs must be an employer of choice for talented professionals,” said Senator Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Senator Moran was selected to Chair the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee following the departure of Senator Johnny Isakson at the beginning of the year.
