S. 3466
Introduced in Senate · January 16, 2026December 11, 2025
Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. King, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Murray, and Ms. Cortez Masto) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
A BILL
To improve health care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
1. Short title; table of contents; 2. Implementation; TITLE I—IMPROVEMENTS TO CARE; 101. Timing for scheduling of appointments; 102. Consideration of telehealth in determining whether an appointment can be scheduled within the access standards of the Department of Veterans Affairs and limitation on availability of telehealth through community care; 103. Information for veterans regarding access to care; 111. Extension of period for submittal of claims by health care entities and providers; 112. Rating program relating to military sexual trauma for providers under Veterans Community Care Program of Department of Veterans Affairs; 113. Requirements relating to quality of community care providers; 114. Community care provider training requirements; 115. Waivers for network adequacy; 116. Contracting requirements; 117. Inspector General oversight authority over community care; 118. Requirement that health care providers under Veterans Community Care Program provide certain data; 119. Full practice authority for certain positions within Department of Veterans Affairs; 119A. Treatment of psychologists; 121. Information on lessons learned to improve contracting for community care; 122. Analysis of impact of spending under Veterans Community Care Program on budgets of medical centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 123. Study on recovery of revenue from private health insurers; 124. Matters relating to emergency care; 125. Review of dialysis care furnished by Department of Veterans Affairs; 126. Benefits for persons disabled by treatment under Veterans Community Care Program of Department of Veterans Affairs; TITLE II—STAFFING MATTERS; 201. Modification of limitation on waiver for pay of critical health care personnel; 202. Increase of maximum amount of incentive pay for Department pharmacist executives; 203. Modification of special pay authority for nurse executives; 211. Inclusion of police officers of Department of Veterans Affairs as law enforcement officers; 212. Mentorship program for executive leadership teams at medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 213. Requirement for equivalent role postings for vacant positions at Department of Veterans Affairs; 214. Hiring processes; 215. Staffing models; 216. Telework policy; 221. Establishment of Start and Stay at VA Program; 222. Building and maintenance professionals educational assistance program; 223. Expansion of reimbursement of continuing professional education expenses; 224. Payment of licensure exam costs for recipients of scholarships from Department of Veterans Affairs; 231. Department of Veterans Affairs personnel transparency; 232. Report on Grow Our Own Program; 233. Provision of data on educational assistance programs of Veterans Health Administration; TITLE III—INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS; 301. Definitions; 311. Authorization of funding for certain land acquisitions for medical facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs; 312. Detachment of congressional committee approval requests of major medical facility leases from annual budget submission of Department of Veterans Affairs; 313. Improvement of capital asset staffing of Department of Veterans Affairs; 314. Development of performance metrics of capital asset management by Department of Veterans Affairs and monitoring for improvement; 315. Expansion of membership of the Capital Asset Planning Committee; 316. Authorization of appropriations; 321. Review of resilience of facilities, land, and other relevant capital assets of Department of Veterans Affairs; 322. Reports on key capital asset investments, activities, and performance of Department of Veterans Affairs; 323. Report on long-term care physical infrastructure needs of Department of Veterans Affairs; 324. Report on women veterans retrofit initiative; 325. Report on capital asset and information technology needs of the research and development program of Department of Veterans Affairs; 326. Review and report on provisions of law relating to Department of Veterans Affairs capital asset management and oversight; 327. Improving prevention, detection, and reporting of waste, fraud, and abuse in Department of Veterans Affairs capital asset projects and activities; 328. Comptroller General report on continued need for non-Department of Veterans Affairs project management for super construction projects