[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6794 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6794
To require directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans
Affairs to submit annual fact sheets to the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs on the status of such facilities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 17, 2025
Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona (for himself and Ms. Lee of Nevada) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans
Affairs to submit annual fact sheets to the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs on the status of such facilities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``VA Medical Center Facility
Transparency Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR TIMELY SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS AT MEDICAL
FACILITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Requirement.--Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by redesignating section 1706A as section 1706B; and
(2) by inserting after section 1706 the following new
section:
``Sec. 1706A. Management of health care: timely scheduling of
appointments at Department facilities
``(a) Requirement for Scheduling.--In managing the provision of
hospital care and medical services at medical facilities of the
Department of Veterans Affairs under this chapter, the Secretary shall
ensure that whenever a covered veteran contacts the Department by
telephone to request the scheduling of an appointment for care or
services for the covered veteran at such a facility, the scheduling for
the appointment occurs during that telephone call (regardless of the
prospective date of the appointment being scheduled).
``(b) Covered Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term `covered
veteran' means a veteran who is enrolled in the system of patient
enrollment of the Department under section 1705(a) of this title.
``(c) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on the date that is
three years after the date of the enactment of the VA Medical Center
Facility Transparency Act.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by striking the item relating to section 1706A
and inserting the following new items:
``1706A. Management of health care: timely scheduling of appointments
at Department facilities.
``1706B. Remediation of medical service lines.''.
(c) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall
apply with respect to requests for appointment scheduling occurring on
or after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 3. INFORMATION ON MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS.
(a) Fact Sheets.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure
that each director of a medical center of the Department of Veterans
Affairs submits to the Secretary, the Committees on Veterans' Affairs
of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the appropriate
Members of Congress the following:
(1) An annual concise, easy-to-read fact sheet containing,
with respect to the year covered by the fact sheet each of the
following:
(A) Statistics regarding--
(i) the number of veterans who were treated
at a medical facility of the Department under
the jurisdiction of the director;
(ii) the number of appointments conducted
by each such facility;
(iii) the most common illnesses or
conditions for which treatment was furnished;
(iv) the satisfaction of veterans who were
treated at each such facility;
(v) how each such facility compares with
other facilities with respect to the
satisfaction of veterans who were treated at
the facilities; and
(vi) other matters the director determines
appropriate.
(B) A description of any successes or achievements
experienced by such facilities, including--
(i) actions taken to improve such
facilities;
(ii) actions taken to improve the access to
and quality of the care provided at such
facilities; and
(iii) any other accomplishments determined
appropriate by the director.
(C) A description of special areas of emphasis or
specialization by such facilities, such as efforts
aimed at meeting the needs of women veterans, suicide
prevention and other mental health initiatives, opioid
abuse prevention and pain management, or special
efforts on veteran homelessness, or other matters as
the director determines appropriate.
(D) A description of matters concerning such
facilities that have previously been identified as
deficient and needing remediation that are still in
need of such remediation.
(2) A quarterly fact sheet containing, with respect to the
quarter covered by the fact sheet, the average wait time for
veterans to receive treatment at the medical facility of the
Department under the jurisdiction of the director.
(b) Availability.--Each fact sheet under subsection (a) shall be
made publicly available--
(1) in a physical form at the relevant medical facility of
the Department in a conspicuous location; and
(2) in an electronic form on the internet website of the
facility.
(c) Timing of Fact Sheets.--The fact sheets under subsection (a)
shall be submitted during the first fiscal year beginning after the
date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and
not less frequently than--
(1) once each fiscal year thereafter with respect to the
annual fact sheet under paragraph (1) of such subsection; and
(2) once each fiscal quarter thereafter with respect to the
quarterly fact sheet under paragraph (2) of such subsection.
(d) Standardized Format.--The Secretary shall establish a standard
format for the fact sheets under subsection (a) to ensure that each
director of a medical center of the Department carries out such
subsection in a consistent manner.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``appropriate Members of Congress'' means,
with respect to a medical facility of the Department of
Veterans Affairs about which a fact sheet is submitted under
subsection (a), the Senators representing the State, and the
Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner of the House of
Representatives representing the district, that includes the
facility.
(2) The term ``State'' means each of the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and
any territory or possession of the United States.
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON DETAIL OF DIRECTORS OF MEDICAL CENTERS OF
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
(a) Notification.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after detailing a
director of a medical center of the Department of Veterans
Affairs to a different position within the Department, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall notify the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the House of Representatives of such detail.
(2) Matters to be included.--The notification required by
paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to a director of a
medical center who is detailed to a different position within
the Department, the following information:
(A) The location at which the director is detailed.
(B) The position title of the detail.
(C) The estimated time the director is expected to
be absent from their duties at the medical center.
(D) Such other information as the Secretary may
determine appropriate.
(b) Appointment of Acting Director.--Not later than 120 days after
detailing a director of a medical center of the Department to a
different position within the Department, the Secretary shall appoint
an individual as acting director of such medical center with all of the
authority and responsibilities of the detailed director.
(c) Update on Detail.--Not later than 120 days after detailing a
director of a medical center of the Department to a different position
within the Department, and not less frequently than every 30 days
thereafter while the detail is in effect or while the director position
at the medical center is vacant, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives an update regarding
the status of the detail.
(d) Return to Position or Reassignment.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), not
later than 180 days after detailing a director of a medical
center of the Department to a different position within the
Department, for a reason other than an ongoing investigation or
administrative action with respect to the director, the
Secretary shall--
(A) return the individual to the position as
director of the medical center; or
(B) reassign the individual from the position as
director of the medical center and begin the process of
hiring a new director for such position.
(2) Waiver.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may waive the
requirement under paragraph (1) with respect to an
individual for successive 90-day increments for a total
period of not more than 540 days from the original date
the individual was detailed away from their position as
director of a medical center.
(B) Notification.--Not later than 30 days after
exercising a waiver under subparagraph (A), the
Secretary shall notify Congress of the waiver and
provide to Congress information as to why the waiver is
necessary.
SEC. 5. SUNSET.
The requirements of this Act shall terminate on the date that is
three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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