VA Police Security Enhancement Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9665 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9665

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the jurisdiction of
Department of Veterans Affairs police officers, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 14, 2026

Mr. Van Orden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the jurisdiction of
Department of Veterans Affairs police officers, 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 Police Security Enhancement
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS POLICE SECURITY ENHANCEMENT.

    (a) Department Property.--Section 901 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended, in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the end the
following: ``Such term includes--
                    ``(A) land and buildings that are occupied by or
                under the custody or control of the Department;
                    ``(B) land and buildings leased by or on behalf of
                the Department;
                    ``(C) land and buildings leased by the Department
                to another entity, including property subject to an
                enhanced use lease agreement; and
                    ``(D) the area immediately surrounding such land or
                buildings.''.
    (b) Memoranda of Understanding.--Such section is further amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) The Secretary shall seek to enter into memoranda of
understanding with the appropriate local, State, and Federal law
enforcement agencies to facilitate the exercise of authority by
Department police officers on Department property under the
jurisdiction of such agencies.''.
    (c) Authorities of Department Police Officers.--Section 902(a) of
such title is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``(E)'' and
                inserting ``(G)'';
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) through (F)
                as subparagraphs (E) through (H), respectively; and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (B) the following new
                clauses:
            ``(C) Protect veterans, officials and employees of the
        Department, other individuals, and Department property;
            ``(D) Ensure the physical security and operational
        continuity of facilities of the Department;
            ``(E) Carry out other such security functions as are
        expressly authorized by statute;''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
    ``(5) The authorities under paragraph (1) may be exercised off
Department property only when--
            ``(A) necessary to protect officials or employees of the
        Department and Department property;
            ``(B) in hot pursuit; or
            ``(C) pursuant to a written agreement under section 901(g)
        of this title.''.
    (d) Facility Security; Oversight.--Such section is further amended
by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(e) Facility Security Modernization.--The Secretary shall
implement measures to enhance security at facilities of the Department,
including--
            ``(1) access controls;
            ``(2) surveillance systems;
            ``(3) rapid response protocols; and
            ``(4) coordination with other law enforcement agencies.
    ``(f) Congressional Oversight and Report.--(1) Upon request of the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives or the
Senate, the Secretary, without delay or nonstatutory conditions, shall
provide--
            ``(A) policies and directives under this chapter;
            ``(B) data on arrests and use of force by Department police
        officers; and
            ``(C) briefings regarding the operations of Department
        police officers.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report
including--
            ``(A) a description of staffing levels of Department police
        officers;
            ``(B) an identification of capability gaps among Department
        police officers;
            ``(C) a description of the training of Department police
        officers; and
            ``(D) a description of enforcement activity of Department
        police officers in the year preceding the report.''.
    (e) Police Security and Operations Account.--
            (1) Establishment.--Chapter 9 of such title is amended by
        adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 906. Veterans Affairs Police and Security Operations Account
    ``(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established in the Treasury a
separate account to be known as the `Veterans Affairs Police and
Security Operations Account'.
    ``(b) Deposits.--There shall be deposited in the account such
amounts as may be appropriated pursuant to subsection (c).
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the account amounts for the following purposes:
            ``(1) Employment and training of Department police
        officers.
            ``(2) Security infrastructure.
            ``(3) Interagency coordination.
    ``(d) Sunset.--This section shall cease to have effect on the date
that is three years after the date of the enactment of this section.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents at the
        beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the
        following new item:

``906. Veterans Affairs Police and Security Operations Account.''.
    (f) Implementation.--Not later than 180 days after the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations to enforce the
amendments made by this Act.
    (g) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report evaluating--
            (1) the effectiveness of the authorities provided under
        sections 901 and 902 of title 38, United States Code;
            (2) coordination with Federal, State, and local law
        enforcement;
            (3) the adequacy of the training and operational standards
        of Department of Veterans Affairs police officers; and
            (4) recommendations for the continuation, modification, or
        termination of the authorities provided under such sections.
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