S 607
· 119th Congress
· Armed Forces and National Security
Improving Veteran Access to Care Act
Sponsor
Latest action
Held at the desk.
Action timeline
Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.
Dec 19, 2025
floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Dec 19, 2025
floor
Received in the House.
Dec 19, 2025
floor
Held at the desk.
Dec 18, 2025
passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
Dec 18, 2025
passed
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8898-8899; text: CR S8898-8899)
Dec 02, 2025
committee
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. Without written report.
Veterans' Affairs Committee
Dec 02, 2025
other
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 272.
Jul 30, 2025
committee
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Veterans' Affairs Committee
Mar 11, 2025
committee
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
Veterans' Affairs Committee
Feb 18, 2025
introduced
Introduced in Senate
Feb 18, 2025
introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Veterans' Affairs Committee
Text versions
Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.
CRS summaries
Plain-English summaries written by the Congressional Research Service — neutral, nonpartisan staff who summarize bills as they advance through stages. The authoritative description of what each version of the bill does.
00
Introduced in Senate
Feb 18, 2025
Improving Veteran Access to Care Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling VA health care appointments. Among other objectives, the team must (1) develop or continue the development of a scheduling system and platform that enables personnel and patients of the VA to view available appointments for VA care, (2) create a process through which patients can telephonically speak with a scheduler who can assist in determining availability and scheduling, and (3) carry out other functions with respect to health care appointments furnished by the VA.
In carrying out its objectives, the team must consult and coordinate with the deployment schedule and capabilities of the VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.
If the VA determines a required objective or any feature or service in connection with an objective cannot be implemented or incorporated, the VA must report to Congress providing an explanation and setting forth a plan without that objective.
The VA must also report to Congress on the progress in fulfilling the team’s objectives under the bill.
via Congressional Research Service · published through congress.gov
Changelog
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih / is — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh / rfs — Referred to a committee for review.rh / rs — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs / pch — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh / es — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh / rds — Received by the other chamber.eah / eas — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath / ats — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih/is— Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh/rfs— Referred to a committee for review.rh/rs— Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs/pch— Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh/es— Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh/rds— Received by the other chamber.eah/eas— Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath/ats— Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr— Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl— Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp— Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.
+14
−198
28 unchanged
--- Reported (Senate)
+++ Engrossed (Senate)
@@ -1,198 +1,22 @@
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
-[S. 607 Reported in Senate (RS)]
+[S. 607 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
-Calendar No. 272
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 607
-To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated
-project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for
-health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other
-purposes.
-
_______________________________________________________________________
-IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
+AN ACT
-February 18, 2025
-
-Ms. Hassan (for herself, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Moran, and Mr. Blumenthal)
-introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
-Committee on Veterans' Affairs
-
-December 2, 2025
-
-Reported by Mr. Moran, with an amendment and an amendment to the title
-[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
-in italic]
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-A BILL
-
-To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated
-project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for
-health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other
-purposes.
+To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and implement
+a plan to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health
+care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
-
-<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Veteran Access to
-Care Act''.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED>SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTEGRATED PROJECT TEAM OF DEPARTMENT
-OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE APPOINTMENT
-SCHEDULING.</DELETED>
-
-<DELETED> (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
-through the Veterans Health Administration and the Office of
-Information and Technology of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or
-any successor offices or administrations of similar function, shall
-establish an integrated project team to improve the process for
-scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans
-Affairs.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to ensure the
-Department of Veterans Affairs delivers to patients and employees of
-the Department in a timely manner the scheduling capabilities developed
-by the integrated project team established under subsection (a) to
-immediately improve delivery of care, access to care, customer
-experience and service, and efficiency with respect to the delivery of
-care.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (c) Objectives.--The objectives of the integrated project
-team established under subsection (a) are the following:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) To develop or continue the development of a
-scheduling system that enables both personnel and patients of
-the Department of Veterans Affairs to view available
-appointments for all care furnished by the Department,
-including--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) available appointments for all
-providers of the Department;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) available appointments at all clinics,
-hospitals, and other health care facilities of the
-Department; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (C) available appointments at all offices
-providing patient care within the health care system of
-the Department, including primary care and all forms of
-specialty care.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) To develop or continue the development of a
-self-service scheduling platform, available for use by all
-patients of the Department, which shall--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) enable such patients to view available
-appointments and fully schedule appointments for all
-care furnished by the Department, including--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (i) appointments for all providers
-of the Department;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (ii) appointments at all clinics,
-hospitals, and other health care facilities of
-the Department; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (iii) appointments at all offices
-providing patient care within the health care
-system of the Department, including primary
-care and all forms of specialty care;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) if a referral is required for an
-appointment, provide a method for the patient to
-request a referral and subsequently book an appointment
-if the referral is approved; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (C) provide such patients with the ability
-to cancel or reschedule appointments.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (3) To create a process through which all patients
-of the Department can telephonically speak with a scheduler who
-can assist the patient to determine appointment availability
-and can fully schedule appointments on behalf of the patient
-for all care furnished by the Department, including--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (A) appointments for all providers of the
-Department;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (B) appointments at all clinics,
-hospitals, and other health care facilities of the
-Department; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (C) appointments at all offices providing
-patient care within the health care system of the
-Department, including primary care and all forms of
-specialty care.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (4) To carry out such other functions, oversight,
-metric development and tracking, change management, cross-
-Department coordination, and other related matters as the
-Secretary determines appropriate as it relates to scheduling
-tools, functions, and operations with respect to health care
-appointments furnished by the Department.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (d) Coordination With Electronic Health Record
-Modernization Program.--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) In general.--The integrated project team
-established under subsection (a) shall carry out the objectives
-under subsection (c) in consultation and coordination with the
-deployment schedule and capabilities of the Electronic Health
-Record Modernization Program of the Department of Veterans
-Affairs to ensure a smooth transition to using the tools and
-features, where relevant and appropriate, that may be created
-pursuant to this section, along with the features in the
-Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this
-subsection shall be construed to require the integrated project
-team established under subsection (a), the Veterans Health
-Administration, or the Office of Information and Technology of
-the Department to defer or delay the deployment of scheduling
-capabilities required by this section because of future
-potential planned capabilities of the Electronic Health Record
-Modernization Program.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (e) Deadlines.--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after
-the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
-Veterans Affairs, through the Veterans Health Administration
-and the Office of Information and Technology of the Department
-of Veterans Affairs, or any successor office, shall fully
-establish the integrated project team under subsection
-(a).</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) Completion of objectives.--Not later than one
-year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
-integrated project team established under subsection (a) shall
-complete the objectives under subsection (c).</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (f) Report on Objectives.--If the Secretary of Veterans
-Affairs determines that an objective under subsection (c), or any
-feature or service in connection with that objective, cannot be
-implemented or otherwise incorporated into a final product, the
-Secretary shall, within 45 days of that determination, submit to the
-appropriate committees of Congress a report--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) detailing that objective, feature, or service
-and providing an explanation as to why that objective, feature,
-or service cannot be implemented or incorporated, as the case
-may be; and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) setting forth a plan for implementing this
-section without that objective, feature, or service.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (g) Implementation Reports.--Not later than each of one
-year and two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
-Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate
-committees of Congress a report on the progress of the Secretary in
-fulfilling the requirements of this section, including--</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) costs incurred to implement such requirements
-as of the date of the report;</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) the expected costs to complete implementation
-of such requirements (including costs for management and
-technology);</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (3) the schedule for deployment of any
-capabilities developed by the integrated project team
-established under subsection (a); and</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (4) goals and metrics achieved, challenges, and
-lessons learned.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (h) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall
-be construed to preclude or impede the ability of a veteran to contact
-or schedule an appointment directly with a facility or provider through
-a non-online scheduling process, should the veteran choose to do
-so.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (i) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
-``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on
-Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans'
-Affairs of the House of Representatives.</DELETED>
-<DELETED> (2) Fully schedule.--The term ``fully schedule'',
-with respect to booking an appointment, means that the
-appointment booking is completed, rather than simply
-requested.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
@@ -322,13 +146,12 @@
(2) Fully schedule.--The term ``fully schedule'', with
respect to an appointment for health care, means that the
appointment booking is completed, rather than simply requested.
-Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to require the
-Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and implement a plan
-to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health
-care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other
-purposes.''.
-Calendar No. 272
+Passed the Senate December 18, 2025.
+
+Attest:
+
+Secretary.
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
@@ -337,15 +160,8 @@
_______________________________________________________________________
-A BILL
+AN ACT
-To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated
-project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for
-health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other
-purposes.
-
-_______________________________________________________________________
-
-December 2, 2025
-
-Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title
+To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and implement
+a plan to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health
+care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Lobbying activity
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5
filings · 2026 Q3
5
filings · 2026 Q3
3
filings · 2025 Q3
1
filings · 2026 Q1
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Cosponsors (3)
Members who signed on to support this bill.