H.R. 6794

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6794 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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.
<all>