FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH VETERANS’ PREFERENCE REQUIREMENTS TO BE TREATED AS A PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICE.

SEC. 1615. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH VETERANS’ PREFERENCE REQUIREMENTS TO BE TREATED AS A PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICE. (a) In General.— (1) Chapter 81 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by section 1604, is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: “§ 1599c. Veterans’ preference requirements: Department of Defense failure to comply treated as a prohibited personnel practice “(a) Prohibited Personnel Practice.— It is a prohibited personnel practice for a person referred to in subsection (b) who has authority described in that subsection— “(1) knowingly to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action with respect to such authority if the taking of such action violates a veterans’ preference; or “(2) knowingly to fail to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action with respect to such authority, if the failure to take such action violates a veterans’ preference. “(b) Persons Covered.— Subsection (a) applies with respect to— “(1) an officer or employee of the Department of Defense who has authority to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve a personnel action with respect to an employee of the Department of Defense; and “(2) a member of the armed forces who has such authority. “(c) Veterans’ Preference Defined.— (1) In this section, the term ‘veterans’ preference’ means any of the following provisions of law: “(A) Sections 2108, 3305(b), 3309, 3310, 3311, 3312, 3313, 3314, 3315, 3316, 3317(b), 3318, 3320, 3351, 3352, 3363, 3501, 3502(b), 3504, and 4303(e) of title 5 and (with respect to a preference eligible referred to in section 7511(a)(1)(B) of such title) subchapter II of chapter 75 and section 7701 of such title. “(B) Sections 943(c)(2) and 1784(c) of this title. “(C) Section 1308(b) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3198(b)). “(D) Section 301(c) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3941(c)). “(E) Section 3(a)(11) of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts Personnel Act of 1990 (28 U.S.C. 602 note). “(F) Sections 106(f), 7281(e), and 7802(5) of title 38. “(G) Section 1005(a) of title 39. “(H) Any other provision of law that the Director of the Office of Personnel Management designates in regulations as being a veterans’ preference for the purposes of this section. “(2) For the purposes of this section, such term includes any regulation prescribed under subsection (b) or (c) of section 1302 of title 5 and any other regulation that implements a provision of law referred to in paragraph (1). “(d) Personnel Action Defined.— In this section, the term ‘personnel action’ has the meaning given that term in section 2302 of title 5.”. 110 STAT. 2741 (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item: “1599c. Veterans’ preference requirements: Department of Defense failure to comply treated as a prohibited personnel practice.”. (b) Applicability of Title 5 Procedures and Sanctions.— Paragraph (1) of section 2302(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: “(1) For purposes of this title, ‘prohibited personnel practice’ means the following: “(A) Any action described in subsection (b) of this section. “(B) Any action or failure to act that is designated as a prohibited personnel action under section 1599c(a) of title 10.”. (c) Reporting Requirement.— Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a written report on— (1) the implementation of— (A) section 1599c of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a); and (B) subparagraph (B) of section 2302(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (b); and (2) the administration of veterans’ preference requirements by the Department of Defense generally.