Congress clears Trump-backed bill to fast-track firing of VA workers

The Washington Post: The Senate cleared a path Tuesday evening for the Department of Veterans Affairs to take swift action to fire and discipline problem employees, overhauling long-guaranteed job protections that Republicans would like to change across the federal workforce.

Following a voice vote — and action in the House earlier this year — a bipartisan bill is expected to arrive quickly on the desk of President Trump, who pledged to bring accountability to VA, the second-largest federal agency. Trump and his GOP allies on Capitol Hill have long criticized what they call a culture of incompetence and misconduct at VA and other agencies in which poor performers and rule-breaking employees rarely are punished.

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