VA Transparency & Trust Act of 2021

135 STAT. 1484 PUBLIC LAW 117–63—NOV. 22, 2021 Public Law 117–63 117th Congress An Act To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a plan for obligating and expending Coronavirus pandemic funding made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 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 Transparency & Trust Act of 2021’’. SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT OF CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC FUNDING MADE AVAILABLE TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. (a) PLAN AND REPORTS BY SECRETARY.— (1) PLAN.—Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a detailed plan for obligating and expending covered funds, including a detailed justification for each type of obligation of such funds. (2) BIWEEKLY REPORTS.—Every 14 days during the period beginning on the date on which the plan under paragraph (1) is submitted and ending seven days after the date on which the Secretary has expended all covered funds, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing the obligation and expenditure of, and the planned uses for, such funds during the period covered by the report, including a written justification for any deviation in such obligations, expenditures, or planned uses from such plan. (b) INSPECTOR GENERAL AUDITS.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and semiannually thereafter for three years or until the Secretary has expended all covered funds, whichever occurs first, the Inspector General of the Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Vet- erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report examining the obligations and expenditures made using covered funds during the period covered by the report. Each such report shall include— (1) a comparison of how the funds are being obligated and expended to how the funds were planned to be obligated and expended in the plan under subsection (a)(1); (2) areas of waste, fraud, and abuse, if any; and Time period. VA Transparency & Trust Act of 2021. Nov. 22, 2021 [H.R. 2911] VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:48 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 029139 PO 00063 Frm 00001 Fmt 6580 Sfmt 6581 E:\PUBLAW\PUBL063.117 PUBL063 whamilton on LAPJF8D0R2PROD with PUBLAW 135 STAT. 1485 PUBLIC LAW 117–63—NOV. 22, 2021 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2911: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 167 (2021): May 17, considered and passed House. Oct. 28, considered and passed Senate. Æ (3) any other matter the Inspector General determines relevant. (c) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEWS.— (1) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than September 30, 2022, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep- resentatives and the Senate an interim report containing a review of obligations and expenditures made using covered funds. The report shall include— (A) a review of the process of the Department of Vet- erans Affairs for preparing the request for funds; (B) an explanation of how the expenditure of such funds met the goals of the Department during the public health emergency for which the funds were made available; (C) any recommendations to improve the process of identifying needs and expending funds during similar situa- tions in the future; and (D) a review of the plans of the Department to continue programs or investments that were begun with such funds but will continue after such funds are expended. (2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than September 30, 2024, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a final report on the matters specified under paragraph (1). (d) COVERED FUNDS DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘cov- ered funds’’ means funds that are made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to— (1) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116–127); (2) the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116–136); or (3) the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–2). Approved November 22, 2021. Recommenda- tions. VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:48 Nov 23, 2021 Jkt 029139 PO 00063 Frm 00002 Fmt 6580 Sfmt 6580 E:\PUBLAW\PUBL063.117 PUBL063 whamilton on LAPJF8D0R2PROD with PUBLAW