{"format":1,"id":"117-s-2687","congress":117,"number":"S. 2687","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021","title_source":"Short Titles as Enacted","official_title":"A bill to provide the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs testimonial subpoena authority, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"A bill to provide the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs testimonial subpoena authority, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Enacted","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed Senate","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"}],"outcome":"became_law","law_number":"Public Law 117-136","introduced":"2021-08-10","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2022-05-17","vote":{"id":"117-2022-h204","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass","title":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021","result":"Passed","yea":404,"nay":6,"present":0,"not_voting":18,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll204.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"voice","date":"2022-04-07","vote":null,"how":"voice_vote","words":"Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2079)"}},"president":{"status":"signed","date":"2022-06-07"},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Became Public Law No: 117-136.","date":"2022-06-07"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2022-06-07","stage":"Public Law","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021"},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill prohibits the VA OIG from subpoenaing the attendance and testimony of current federal employees or witnesses as part of any criminal proceeding."},{"k":"p","t":"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."}],"words":131},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Gives the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs authority to require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses, subject to limits, notice steps, reporting requirements and an end date of May 31, 2025.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr#H91782EE97B0545C68CD9B9F4FD8083C0:~:text=2.%20Testimonial%20subpoena%20authority%20of%20the%20Inspector"}]},"core_areas":["Testimonial subpoena authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Amends section 312 of title 38, United States Code, to let the Inspector General require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses as necessary for functions under the Inspector General Act of 1978 and that section, enforceable by order of an appropriate district court.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr#H91782EE97B0545C68CD9B9F4FD8083C0:~:text=2.%20Testimonial%20subpoena%20authority%20of%20the%20Inspector"}},{"text":"Bars the Inspector General from subpoenaing the testimony of any current Federal employee or of any witness as part of any criminal proceeding, and does not allow the subpoena authority to be delegated.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr#H91782EE97B0545C68CD9B9F4FD8083C0:~:text=2.%20Testimonial%20subpoena%20authority%20of%20the%20Inspector"}},{"text":"Requires the Inspector General to notify the Attorney General of the intent to issue a subpoena; the Attorney General has 10 days to object in writing if it will interfere with an ongoing investigation, and if so the subpoena may not be issued.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr#H91782EE97B0545C68CD9B9F4FD8083C0:~:text=2.%20Testimonial%20subpoena%20authority%20of%20the%20Inspector"}},{"text":"Requires the Inspector General, to the degree practicable, to notify a witness of the intent to issue a subpoena and offer the witness an opportunity to attend and testify voluntarily.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr#H91782EE97B0545C68CD9B9F4FD8083C0:~:text=2.%20Testimonial%20subpoena%20authority%20of%20the%20Inspector"}},{"text":"Requires a report on use of the subpoena authority with each semiannual report, covering the number of subpoenas issued, individuals interviewed, Attorney General objections, and any challenges or concerns encountered.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr#H91782EE97B0545C68CD9B9F4FD8083C0:~:text=2.%20Testimonial%20subpoena%20authority%20of%20the%20Inspector"}},{"text":"Ends the subpoena authority on May 31, 2025, without affecting the enforceability of any subpoena issued before that date.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr#H91782EE97B0545C68CD9B9F4FD8083C0:~:text=2.%20Testimonial%20subpoena%20authority%20of%20the%20Inspector"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Enrolled Bill","date":null,"rule":"enrolled","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text/enr"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2687/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-s-2687.png","v":"834c83438a97","alt":"Votes on Record. S. 2687, 117th Congress: Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act of 2021. House: 404 Yea, 6 Nay. Senate: voice vote. Outcome: Became law, 7 Jun 2022."}}