Department of Veterans Affairs Employment Discrimination Prevention Act

Committee on Veterans Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 23, 1997

Department of Veterans Affairs Employment Discrimination Prevention Act - Establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Office of Employment Discrimination Complaints Resolution headed by a Director who shall be solely responsible for resolving complaints of unlawful employment discrimination (UED) within the Department. Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to employ within such Office such administrative law judges (ALJs) and other personnel as necessary. Directs the Secretary to include in Department budget information submitted annually to the Congress specified information on the Office budget and activities. Requires the Director to prescribe: (1) standards of timeliness for the resolution of UED complaints; (2) Office employee qualification and training requirements; (3) requirements for recordkeeping pertaining to counseling and investigations conducted by Office employees; and (4) standards for conduct of UED investigations. Requires such standards to be consistent with those prescribed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, while allowing the Director to shorten the time period for the resolution of complaints. Provides for informal UED complaint resolution procedures within the Office, requiring the Director, if such a complaint is not resolved informally, to assign the complaint to an ALJ for appropriate determination. Requires Office employees to conduct complaint investigations and report results to the Director, who shall then forward such complaint to the presiding ALJ, the complainant, and the Secretary. Requires final complaint resolution by the ALJ when not resolved through informal proceedings. Authorizes the complainant to request a hearing on the matter, to be granted by an ALJ unless there is no dispute as to a material fact. Provides for Commission review of final Office decisions. Applies Federal violation reporting protection provisions (whistleblower provisions) to Department employees or applicants.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Graham, Bob [D-FL] · D–FL

Committees

Veterans' Affairs Committee

3 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Oct 7, 1997
Committee on Veterans Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Jul 25, 1997
Committee on Veterans Affairs. Hearings held.
May 23, 1997
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs.
May 23, 1997
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · May 23, 1997 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.801 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.801, 105th Congress: Department of Veterans Affairs Employment Discrimination Prevention Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/801

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-05-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s801/BILLS-105s801is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:13:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.801 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.801 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.801, 105th Congress: Department of Veterans Affairs Employment Discrimination Prevention Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/801

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-05-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s801/BILLS-105s801is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:13:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.801 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.801 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.801, 105th Congress: Department of Veterans Affairs Employment Discrimination Prevention Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/801

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-05-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s801/BILLS-105s801is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:13:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.801 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.801 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.801, 105th Congress: Department of Veterans Affairs Employment Discrimination Prevention Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/801

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-05-23.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s801/BILLS-105s801is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:13:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.801 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.