What does Preamble of VA Police Recruitment and Retention Act of 2026 do?

This bill aims to prohibit the downgrading of law enforcement positions within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill's stated purpose is "to prohibit the downgrading of law enforcement positions in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes."

What does SHORT TITLE. of VA Police Recruitment and Retention Act of 2026 do?

This bill is formally titled the VA Police Recruitment and Retention Act of 2026.

What does PROHIBITION ON DOWNGRADING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS IN THE of VA Police Recruitment and Retention Act of 2026 do?

This section prohibits any official from proposing, initiating, or carrying out a position downgrade for any 'covered VA position'. Federal funds cannot be used to propose, initiate, or carry out a position downgrade for covered VA positions. Position downgrades for covered VA positions occurring between October 1, 2025, and the enactment of this Act will be nullified. Employees whose positions were downgraded during this period will be restored to their prior status and receive all applicable pay. A 'covered VA position' is defined as a position carrying out law enforcement functions within the Department of Veterans Affairs, regardless of funding source. A 'position downgrade' is defined as a classification action that may result in a loss of grade or pay, including consistency reviews and incumbent-only reviews.

Back to bills

VA Police Recruitment and Retention Act of 2026

Last updated: 4/15/2026 · Introduced: 3/19/2026

Author: Timothy Kennedy (D-NY)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from downgrading law enforcement positions, regardless of funding source.
It restores employees who experienced position downgrades between October 1, 2025, and the bill's enactment to their previous roles and pay.
Federal funds are restricted from being used to propose, initiate, or carry out any position downgrade for law enforcement roles within the VA.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

Verified Votes

No verified votes yet.

Community Votes

No community votes yet. Be the first!

Voting as guest · Sign in for verified votes

Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 1 more.

3 sections

Click "Show details" to explore individual sections. Use the community vote above or visit All Sections to vote per section.

Read official text

Want the full experience?

Create a free account to cast verified votes on each section, get a personalized summary, and track your voting history.

Create Free Account