U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum has introduced legislation aimed at giving employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs more time to care for a new child.
The proposal, known as the Supporting VA Families Act, would create a new entitlement for VA employees, including those working in the Veterans Health Administration, to take up to four administrative weeks of unpaid parental leave during a 12-month period.
Under the bill, employees could use the leave following the birth of a child or after a child is placed with them through adoption or foster care. The leave would have to be taken within one year of the child’s birth or placement. If employees do not use the leave during that window, the entitlement would expire.
The measure is designed to supplement, rather than replace, leave already available to VA employees under existing federal law. Workers would still be eligible for other forms of leave provided under Chapter 63 of Title 5 of the U.S. Code and, when applicable, Section 7425(c) of Title 38.
Supporters of the legislation say the bill would help VA employees balance work and family responsibilities during a major life transition. The measure could be especially significant for workers in the Veterans Health Administration, where demanding schedules often make it difficult for employees to spend time at home after the arrival of a child.
The legislation relies on existing federal definitions of “employee” and “son or daughter” contained in Section 6831 of Title 5.
The Supporting VA Families Act is one of several measures recently introduced by Bynum, who represents Oregon’s 5th Congressional District. Other proposals include the LIMBER Timber Act of 2026, the First-Time Home Buyers Match Act, the SPUR Housing Act and the Homebuilders Corps Act of 2026.
Bynum, whose district is currently rated “Likely D,” has emerged as an active first-term lawmaker. Her race has also drawn significant attention, with more than $55 million spent in Oregon’s 5th District over the past two years, including heavy spending by outside groups and political action committees.
