Rep. Mike Flood U.S. Representative for Nebraska's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Mike Flood U.S. Representative for Nebraska's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Congressman Mike Flood, along with House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost and other Congress members, has introduced the "BONUS Transparency Act." This proposed legislation aims to enhance transparency regarding bonus payments to Career Senior Executive Service (SES) employees across federal agencies.
"The VA’s inappropriate awarding of nearly $11 million to SES employees must be addressed," stated Congressman Flood. He emphasized that public awareness of this issue only came about due to the VA's Inspector General's findings. "This cannot happen again, which is why I’ve introduced the BONUS Transparency Act," he added, stressing Congress's duty to oversee taxpayer fund usage by federal agencies.
Chairman Bost expressed his support for the bill following an investigation by his committee. "After the Biden-Harris administration tried to line the pockets of its senior VA executives during the bonus scandal earlier this year, we need my friend Rep. Flood’s bill," said Bost. He asserted that the act would prevent government waste and ensure funds are allocated appropriately.
Congressman Van Orden also voiced concern over financial misconduct within federal agencies. "Oversight on the use of taxpayer dollars is not optional – it is a necessity," he stated. Van Orden highlighted that such misuse at the Veterans Administration could potentially occur in other federal entities as well.
The proposed legislation follows a report by the VA's Inspector General revealing misallocation of funds meant for recruitment and retention of employees handling veterans' benefits claims. These funds were instead used for bonuses averaging $55,000 per SES employee, with some exceeding $100,000.
The BONUS Transparency Act mandates reporting all SES employee bonuses to Congress, detailing each employee’s name, job title, and pay rate. Additionally, it requires disclosure of funding sources for these performance awards.
At present, there is no requirement for reporting SES bonuses to Congress under federal law. While generally capped at 20% of an SES employee's basic annual pay, several bonuses were found closer to 25%, according to the Inspector General’s report.
The full text of the legislation can be accessed here.
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