Sec. 404. Annual Hatch Act training program at Department of Veterans Affairs
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Subchapter I of chapter 7 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 104, is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: The Secretary shall require each covered employee to participate each year in the training program developed pursuant to subsection (b). For purposes of paragraph (1), a covered employee is an employee of the Department who is— a political appointee; a senior executive; a senior manager; or such other category of employee as the Secretary considers appropriate.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Leadership, Engagement, Accountability, and Development Act of 2023 , the Secretary shall, acting through the General Counsel of the Department and in coordination with the Special Counsel, complete development of a standardized training program for covered employees described in subsection (a)(2) regarding the requirements of subchapter III of chapter 73 of title 5 (often referred to as the Hatch Act ). The training program developed pursuant to subsection
(b)shall cover compliance matters for all political appointees of the Department, regardless of level of seniority. Not less frequently than once every two years, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the Special Counsel, update the training program developed pursuant to subsection (b). Not later than June 30 of each calendar year, beginning with the first June 30 that occurs more than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives, in conjunction with each report submitted pursuant to section 323(f)(1)(A) of this title a report on the training program developed under subsection (b). Each such report such include an indication of the following: The percentage of all covered employees described in subsection (a)(2) that received training as part of the program developed pursuant to subsection (b). The actions the Secretary is taking to increase the percentage indicated pursuant to paragraph (1). In this section, the term political appointee has the meaning given such term in section 106(f) of title 49, United States Code. . Not later than 90 days after the date of completion of the training program developed pursuant to subsection
(b)of section 729B of such title, as added by subsection (a), and delivery of the first training pursuant to subsection
(a)of such section, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives— notice that the development of the program pursuant to such subsection
(b)has been completed and that the first training has been delivered pursuant to such subsection (a); the percentage of individuals compliant or not compliant with the requirements of the Secretary under such subsection (a); and copies of any materials being developed for the program, including training documents used in training sessions conducted under such subsection (a). The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 7 of such title, as amended by section 104, is further amended by inserting after the item relating to section 729A the following new item: 729B. Annual training for senior leaders on political activities. .