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Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021

Public Law 117-136 · S. 2687 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Jun 7, 2022 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)

Cosponsors (2): Sen. John Boozman,

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 404 yea, 6 nay404–6
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021

This bill gives the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) the authority to subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses as necessary to carry out the duties of the office. Such authority terminates on May 31, 2025, but subpoenas issued prior to that date shall be unaffected by the termination.

The bill prohibits the VA OIG from subpoenaing the attendance and testimony of current federal employees or witnesses as part of any criminal proceeding.

Under the bill, the VA OIG must notify the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the intended witness of the intent to issue a subpoena. If DOJ objects to the subpoena because it will interfere with an ongoing investigation, the VA OIG may not issue the subpoena.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 404 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

404 yea6 nay18 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(212)

Republicans who voted yea(192)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 651 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 2428Identical bill

    Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.

  1. Jun 7, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-136.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jun 6, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. May 17, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 6 (Roll no. 204).House roll call 204
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. May 16, 2022FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  8. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2687.
  9. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  10. FloorFloor · Mr. Trone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  11. Apr 11, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  12. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  13. Apr 8, 2022FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  14. Apr 7, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  15. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  16. Mar 10, 2022CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 304.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Tester without amendment. Without written report.
  18. Dec 15, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
  19. Nov 17, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
  20. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
  21. Aug 10, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  22. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 5024SenateSen. Jon TesterD-MT· offered Apr 7, 2022Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Apr 7, 2022: Amendment SA 5024 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.