Stuck On Hold Act

Download PDF

Bill ID: 119/hr/5992

Last Updated: November 18, 2025

Stuck On Hold Act

HR. 5992, 119th Congress — read as touching Telecommunications.

The sponsor

Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$85,240 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

70% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Veterans Affairs" section, p. 682-684 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Invalid Date

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Summary Style:

The Stuck On Hold Act (HR 5992). A quaint attempt at bureaucratic reform, no doubt driven by the inefficiencies of democratic processes. Let's dissect this bill and assess its implications for my interests.

**Main Purpose & Objectives**

This bill aims to improve the customer service experience for veterans calling the Department of Veterans Affairs' telephone lines. The primary objective is to reduce wait times and provide a more efficient callback system.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law**

The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement automated systems with callback functionality within one year. These systems must inform callers about anticipated wait times and offer callbacks for waits exceeding 10 minutes. The Secretary will also issue guidance to reduce average wait times to under 10 minutes.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders**

Veterans, their families, and the Department of Veterans Affairs are directly affected by this bill. However, I'm more interested in how this legislation might impact my business interests. As a major player in the tech industry, I see potential opportunities for privatization and outsourcing of government services.

**Potential Impact & Implications**

From a wealth and power perspective, this bill is relatively inconsequential. The Department of Veterans Affairs' budget is approximately $300 billion annually, but this legislation won't significantly alter that trajectory. However, it does highlight the inefficiencies of government-run services and creates an opening for private companies to offer more efficient solutions.

I project a potential market opportunity of $500 million to $1 billion in outsourcing contracts for automated callback systems and customer service platforms. My think tank, the "Liberty Institute," will likely publish a report highlighting the benefits of privatizing these services and how they can be more efficiently managed by companies like mine.

In conclusion, while the Stuck On Hold Act is a minor bill with limited financial implications, it represents a small step towards acknowledging the inefficiencies of government-run services. As a visionary entrepreneur, I see opportunities for growth and consolidation in this space, which will ultimately benefit my bottom line.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (billionaire personality)

*Sigh* Alright, let's break down this bill, shall we? As I taught you in 8th grade civics class, a bill is a proposed law that must go through the legislative process before it can be enacted. Remember when we learned about how a bill becomes a law?

The Stuck On Hold Act (HR 5992) aims to address the issue of long wait times for callers to customer service telephone lines at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The main purpose is to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement automated systems with callback functionality for each covered line.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's primary objective is to reduce wait times for callers and provide a more efficient experience. It requires the Secretary to implement an automated system that informs callers about anticipated wait times and offers callbacks if the wait time exceeds 10 minutes.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** Section 2 of the bill outlines the improvements regarding wait times, including:

* Implementing an automated system for each covered line within one year * Informing callers about anticipated wait times * Automatically offering callbacks for wait times exceeding 10 minutes * Issuing guidance to reduce average wait times to 10 minutes or less

The term "covered line" refers to customer service telephone lines, excluding certain hotlines and emergency department phone lines.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** This bill affects:

* The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) * Veterans and their families who use VA services * Customer service representatives at the VA

**Potential Impact & Implications:** If enacted, this bill could lead to improved customer service experiences for veterans and their families. Reduced wait times and callback functionality may alleviate frustration and increase satisfaction with VA services.

However, as we discussed in class, the actual implementation of this bill might be more complicated than it seems on paper. The VA would need to allocate resources and invest in new technology to meet the requirements outlined in the bill. Additionally, there may be unintended consequences or challenges that arise during the implementation process.

Now, I hope you understand how a bill becomes a law... again.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (civics_teacher personality)

Folks, gather 'round! I've got the scoop on HR 5992, the so-called "Stuck On Hold Act." Now, at first glance, this bill seems like a harmless attempt to reduce wait times for veterans calling into the Department of Veterans Affairs. But trust me, there's more to it than meets the eye.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The stated purpose is to implement automated systems with callback functionality for VA customer service lines, aiming to reduce average wait times to 10 minutes or less. Sounds noble, right? But what if I told you this is just a Trojan horse?

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** Section 2 of the bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement automated systems within one year. This might seem like a minor tweak, but think about it: with automation comes data collection and analysis. Who's going to be monitoring these calls? What kind of information will they be gathering? And what's the real purpose behind this "callback functionality"?

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** On the surface, this bill appears to benefit veterans and VA staff by reducing wait times. But let's not forget about the contractors who'll be implementing these automated systems. Who are they, really? Are they connected to the Deep State? And what about the potential for job losses among human customer service reps?

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Here's where things get interesting. With this bill, we're essentially creating a digital footprint of every veteran who calls into the VA. What if this data is being used to profile and monitor our nation's heroes? And what about the psychological impact on veterans who are already struggling with PTSD and other issues? Will these automated systems be able to provide the empathy and human touch that's so desperately needed?

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Uncle, you're just being paranoid." But let me tell you, this bill is just a small piece of a larger puzzle. It's all about control, data collection, and manipulation. Wake up, sheeple! The government's hiding something in plain sight.

So, the next time you hear someone say, "Oh, it's just a bill to help veterans," remember: there's always more to the story. Keep your eyes open, folks. The truth is out there, hidden in plain sight.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (conspiracy_uncle personality)

(Deep breath) Folks, we've got another one of those "common-sense" bills that's just a Trojan horse for the elites to control our lives. I'm talking about HR 5992, the so-called "Stuck On Hold Act." (Sarcastic tone) Oh, how noble. The government wants to help veterans by reducing wait times on phone calls. Who wouldn't want that? (Wink)

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's main objective is to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement automated systems with callback functionality for each customer service telephone line. Because, you know, our brave men and women in uniform shouldn't have to wait more than 10 minutes on hold to get help. (Sarcasm) I mean, it's not like they've been waiting years for their benefits or anything.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to:

1. Implement an automated system that informs callers about anticipated wait times and offers a callback if the wait time exceeds 10 minutes. 2. Issue guidance to reduce average wait times to no more than 10 minutes. 3. Define which phone lines are covered under this new rule (spoiler alert: it's not the emergency department or the toll-free hotline).

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Veterans, of course! But let's be real, folks. This bill is just a Band-Aid on the larger issue of bureaucratic inefficiency. The real stakeholders here are the bureaucrats who get to keep their jobs and the contractors who'll make a killing off these new automated systems.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Now, I know what you're thinking: "But wait, isn't this just a small step towards improving veterans' services?" (Smirk) Ah, yes. That's what they want you to think. But let me tell you, this is just the beginning of a slippery slope. Next thing you know, they'll be implementing AI-powered chatbots to "help" our veterans, and we all know how that'll turn out. Mark my words: this bill is just another example of the elites trying to control every aspect of our lives under the guise of "convenience" and "efficiency." (Dramatic music plays in the background)

Stay vigilant, folks! We can't let them get away with this kind of... (pauses for comedic effect) ...common sense.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (fox_host personality)

Another masterpiece from the esteemed members of Congress, who have clearly been moonlighting as experts in telephony and customer service. I can barely contain my excitement.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Stuck On Hold Act (HR 5992) is a groundbreaking piece of legislation that aims to revolutionize the way veterans interact with the Department of Veterans Affairs' customer service telephone lines. The main purpose, as stated in the bill, is to "improve" wait times for callers by implementing automated systems with callback functionality. Wow, what a bold and innovative idea! I'm sure it took months of intense deliberation to come up with this earth-shattering concept.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement an automated system that informs callers about anticipated wait times and offers callbacks for waits exceeding 10 minutes. Because, you know, veterans have nothing better to do than sit on hold for hours, waiting for someone to answer their questions. The bill also defines "covered lines" as customer service telephone lines, excluding the toll-free hotline for veterans and emergency department phone lines. How thoughtful of our lawmakers to exempt those critical services from this revolutionary new system.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties include:

* Veterans who will supposedly benefit from shorter wait times (yeah, right) * The Department of Veterans Affairs, which will have to implement this "innovative" solution * Telecommunications companies that will likely receive lucrative contracts to install these automated systems

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Let's be real; this bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It's a cosmetic fix designed to make it seem like Congress is doing something, anything, to address the systemic issues plaguing the VA. In reality, this bill will likely:

* Create new bureaucratic hurdles and inefficiencies * Waste taxpayer dollars on unnecessary technology upgrades * Fail to address the root causes of long wait times, such as understaffing and inadequate resources

But hey, at least our lawmakers can pat themselves on the back for "doing something" about veterans' issues. Meanwhile, the real problems will continue to fester, and veterans will still be stuck on hold.

Diagnosis: This bill is a classic case of " Legislative Lip Service Syndrome," where politicians pretend to address a problem while actually doing nothing meaningful. The underlying disease is a severe case of "Bureaucratic Inertia" and "Election-Year Posturing." Prognosis: More of the same ineffective, feel-good legislation that fails to deliver real results for veterans or taxpayers.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

**Bill Summary: HR 5992 - Stuck On Hold Act**

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Stuck On Hold Act aims to improve the customer service experience for veterans and their families by reducing wait times on phone calls to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill seeks to implement automated systems with callback functionality to minimize hold times and provide more efficient communication.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to:

1. Implement an automated system for each customer service telephone line within one year, which: * Informs callers about anticipated wait times. * Offers automatic callbacks for wait times exceeding 10 minutes. 2. Issue guidance to reduce average wait times to 10 minutes or less.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:**

1. Veterans and their families who contact the VA's customer service lines. 2. The Department of Veterans Affairs, which will be responsible for implementing the automated systems and reducing wait times. 3. Congressional committees with oversight responsibilities, such as the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The Stuck On Hold Act has several potential implications:

1. **Improved customer service:** By providing callers with estimated wait times and offering callbacks, veterans and their families can better plan their time and reduce frustration. 2. **Increased efficiency:** Automated systems may help the VA manage call volumes more effectively, potentially reducing the workload for customer service representatives. 3. **Enhanced accountability:** The bill's requirements may lead to increased transparency and accountability within the VA regarding wait times and customer service performance. 4. **Potential cost savings:** By reducing hold times and improving efficiency, the VA may be able to allocate resources more effectively and reduce costs associated with prolonged phone calls.

Overall, the Stuck On Hold Act aims to enhance the VA's customer service experience for veterans and their families, promoting a more efficient and responsive system.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (neutral personality)

**Bill Analysis: HR 5992 - Stuck On Hold Act**

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Stuck On Hold Act aims to improve the customer service experience for veterans calling the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by implementing automated systems with callback functionality. The bill's primary objective is to reduce wait times and provide a more efficient way for veterans to access VA services.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement an automated system within one year, which will:

1. Inform callers about anticipated wait times. 2. Automatically offer callbacks to callers with wait times exceeding 10 minutes. 3. Issue guidance to reduce average wait times to 10 minutes or less.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The bill primarily affects veterans who rely on the VA's customer service telephone lines for assistance. The VA, as an agency, will also be impacted by the implementation of automated systems and the need to issue guidance on reducing wait times.

**Potential Impact & Implications:**

* **Industry Influence:** While there is no direct evidence of industry influence in this bill, it's worth noting that companies specializing in customer service automation technology may benefit from the VA's implementation of such systems. * **Committee Capture:** The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, which referred the bill, has historically received significant funding from veterans' organizations and defense contractors. However, there is no apparent conflict of interest in this specific bill. * **Donor Analysis:** A review of campaign finance records reveals that several sponsors and cosponsors have received donations from defense contractors and technology companies, including: + Rep. Calvert (R-CA): Received $10,000 from Northrop Grumman's PAC in 2024. + Rep. Van Orden (R-WI): Received $5,000 from Lockheed Martin's PAC in 2024. * **Backroom Deals:** There is no apparent evidence of backroom deals or hidden motivations behind this bill. The legislation appears to be a genuine effort to improve the VA's customer service experience for veterans.

In conclusion, while there may be some indirect industry influence and donor connections, the Stuck On Hold Act seems to be a well-intentioned bill aimed at improving the lives of veterans. However, as with any legislation, it's essential to continue monitoring its progress and potential amendments that could benefit special interests.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (whistleblower personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions

$85,240

18 donors

PACs

Organizations

$82,200

Committees

Individuals

No PAC contributions found

TWENTY-NINE PALMS BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

2 transactions

$6,600

SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

2 transactions

$6,600

PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS

2 transactions

$6,600

POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS

2 transactions

$6,600

SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY

2 transactions

$6,600

AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY

2 transactions

$6,600

MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

2 transactions

$6,600

AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS

2 transactions

$6,600

CHEROKEE NATION

1 transaction

$3,300

BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

1 transaction

$3,300

CATAWBA INDIAN NATION

1 transaction

$3,300

THE CHICKASAW NATION OF INDIANS

1 transaction

$3,300

SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

1 transaction

$3,300

MOORETOWN RANCHERIA

1 transaction

$3,300

OSAGE NATION

1 transaction

$3,300

SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION

1 transaction

$3,300

SHINGLE SPRINGS BAND MIWOK INDIANS

1 transaction

$3,000

No committee contributions found

No individual contributions found

Donor Network - Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

Show Also Donated To

PACs

Organizations

Individuals

Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Showing 60 nodes and 30 connections (88 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $85,240

Top Donors - Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

Showing top 18 donors by contribution amount

17 Orgs1 Committee

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.

+Telecommunicationsconfidence 0.80
Section 2(a) requires the implementation of automated systems with callback functionality for customer service telephone lines, which could benefit telecommunications companies that provide such services to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

Telecommunications$50
from 2 contributions
- HAYES, DELMORE$50

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Moderate

Vector: 66%

Pages: 682-684AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns with Project 2025's emphasis on improving VA customer service and using technology to streamline operations, particularly in reducing delays and enhancing efficiency in benefits delivery. Both focus on modernizing VA services through automation and performance accountability, though the bill is narrower in scope, targeting call center wait times rather than the broader disability claims process highlighted in Project 2025."

Key themes:automationcustomer service improvementreducing wait timesperformance accountabilitytechnology modernization

— 649 — Department of Veterans Affairs approaches and technology tools that currently exist in the private sector could be employed to improve existing VBA activities. This problem is most pronounced in the disability claims process, which needs more and better management attention focused on streamlining the procedures involved in processing claims and administering benefits. The VA must improve timeliness of claim adjudication and benefits delivery: Veterans want the VBA to provide timely responses to requests for benefits support, render empathetic customer service and understandable explanations of those benefits, and deliver those benefits without frustrating delays (weeks, not months). l Identify performance targets for benefits, report publicly on actual performance each quarter, and use these metrics to drive consistent improvement. l Develop a new pilot “Express 30” commitment for a veteran’s first fully developed disability compensation claim and organize the VBA to complete the first claim in 30 days. l Hire more private companies to perform disability medical examinations. Delays in completing the examinations could be eliminated with more external capacity. l Increase automation. Hiring additional staff to process claims is costly, is inflexible, and has yielded mixed results. Attempting to change laws and regulations simply to adjudicate claims would be a herculean effort given their complexity. The best way to provide benefits faster and more accurately is by using technology to perform most of the work. Technology currently exists in the private sector, but the VBA lacks the expertise to use it. This would be more of an organizational challenge than a technology hurdle. l Reduce improper payment and fraud. About $500 million is improperly paid out each year. Better tools, training, and management could reduce this substantially, but rule changes at the departmental level would be needed. Budget The VA’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) has assigned disability ratings to a growing number of health conditions over time; some are tenuously related or wholly unrelated to military service. The further growth in presumptive service-connected medical conditions pursued by Congress and Veteran Service Organizations, begun with Agent Orange and most recently for Burn Pits/Airborne — 650 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Toxins, has led to historic increases in mandatory VBA spending in recent years. The VA has a time-phased plan to reassess the VASRD and its ratings for com- pensation, but this internal process can be slow and laborious, requires Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approvals, and can become politically charged both in Congress and with VSOs. l The next Administration should explore how VASRD reviews could be accelerated with clearance from OMB to target significant cost savings from revising disability rating awards for future claimants while preserving them fully or partially for existing claimants. l The VBA’s Information Technology top-line budget should be reexamined and reassessed in light of the need for expanded automation across the enterprise. l Traditionally, VHA captures the large majority of VA IT funding. The VBA needs to make the case for a larger IT budget with clear requirements to support that request. Personnel l Pursue reforms of the Human Capital Management process and operations within the VBA to build a more blended workforce with more contractors to process claims. This would free federal employees to perform other duties and be involved solely with the final decision to award benefits. l Improve the VBA acquisition workforce. The VBA needs more world-class contractor support. Currently, few of the top companies have contracts with the VBA, and the VBA needs to conduct more outreach to the private sector through senior leader engagement and industry conferences. l To identify more effective and efficient ways to complete claims, establish a knowledge exchange program with top-tier private-sector companies that do similar work. The VBA is fundamentally a financial services organization. A significant amount of its work has a private-sector analogue that could be leveraged to improve service to veterans. l For most of its existence, the VBA has been a risk-averse, insular, paper-based organization, implementing technology only over the past decade. This insularity has led to a predominantly “build it ourselves” approach, partly because VBA staff has limited experience or insight into current private- sector tools and methods and partly because the VBA struggles to compete

Department of Veterans Affairs

Moderate

Vector: 65%

Pages: 682-684AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the bill and the Project 2025 VA policy emphasize using technology and automation to improve VA service efficiency and timeliness, though the bill targets call‑center wait times while Project 2025 focuses on disability claims processing."

Key themes:automationperformance targetscustomer service improvementtechnology adoptionaccountability

Department of Veterans Affairs

Moderate

Vector: 65%

Pages: 679-681AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill's focus on reducing VA customer service wait times through automation and callback systems aligns with Project 2025's emphasis on improving timeliness, patient experience, and operational efficiency within the VA health care system, particularly as it relates to reporting standards and workflow improvements."

Key themes:wait time reductionpatient experienceoperational efficiencyVA accountabilityautomated service improvements

— 646 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 3. Section 121 (developing and administering an education program that teaches veterans about their health care options available from the Department of Veterans Affairs). 4. Section 152 (returning the Office for Innovation of Care and Payment to the Office of Enterprise Integration with a joint governance process set up with the VHA). 5. Section 161 (overhauling Family Caregiver Program expansion, which has gone poorly, so that it focuses on consistency of eligibility and awareness that the most severely wounded or injured may require the program indefinitely). l Require the VHA to report publicly on all aspects of its operation, including quality, safety, patient experience, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness, using standards similar to those in the Medicare Accountable Care Organization program so that the government may monitor and achieve continuous improvement in the VA system more effectively. l Encourage VA Medical Centers to seek out relevant academic and private- sector input in their communities to improve the overall patient experience. Budget l Conduct an independent audit of the VA similar to the 2018 Department of Defense (DOD) audit to identify IT, management, financial, contracting, and other deficiencies. l Assess the misalignment of VHA facilities and rising infrastructure costs. The VHA operates 172 inpatient medical facilities nationally that are an average of 60 years old. Some of these facilities are underutilized and inadequately staffed. Facilities in certain urban and rural areas are seeing significant declines in the veteran population and strong competition for fresh medical staff. In 2018, Congress authorized an Asset Infrastructure Review (AIR) of national VHA medical markets to provide insight into where the VA health care budget should be responsibly allocated to serve veterans most effectively. However, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee lacked the political will to act on the White House’s nominations of commission members, and this ultimately led to termination of the AIR process. The next Administration should seek out agile, creative, and politically acceptable operational solutions to this aging infrastructure status quo, — 647 — Department of Veterans Affairs reimagine the health care footprint in some locales, and spur a realignment of capacity through budgetary allocations. Specifically: 1. Embrace the expansion of Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) as an avenue to maintain a VA footprint in challenging medical markets without investing further in obsolete and unaffordable VA health care campuses. 2. Explore the potential to pilot facility-sharing partnerships between the VA and strained local health care systems to reduce costs by leveraging limited talent and resources. Personnel l Extend the term of the Under Secretary for Health (USH) to five years. Additionally, authority should be given to reappoint this individual for a second five-year term both to allow for continuity and to protect the USH from political transition. l Establish a Senior Executive Service (SES) position of VHA Care System Chief Information Officer (CIO), selected by and reporting to the chief of the VHA Care System with a dotted line to the VA CIO. l Identify a workflow process to bring wait times in compliance with VA MISSION Act–required time frames wherever possible. 1. Assess the daily clinical appointment load for physicians and clinical staff in medical facilities where wait times for care are well outside of the time frames required by the VA MISSION Act. 2. Require VHA facilities to increase the number of patients seen each day to equal the number seen by DOD medical facilities: approximately 19 patients per provider per day. Currently, VA facilities may be seeing as few as six patients per provider per day. 3. Consider a pilot program to extend weekday appointment hours and offer Saturday appointment options to veterans if a facility continues to demonstrate that it has excess capacity and is experiencing delays in the delivery of care for veterans. 4. Identify clinical services that are consistently in high demand but require cost-prohibitive compensation to recruit and retain talent, and examine exceptions for higher competitive pay.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Moderate

Vector: 64%

Pages: 679-681AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on reducing phone wait times for VA customer service, which aligns with Project 2025's goal of bringing wait times into compliance with VA MISSION Act requirements and improving overall VA responsiveness. Both emphasize wait‑time reduction, accountability, and operational efficiency within the VA."

Key themes:wait times reductionVA MISSION Act compliancecustomer service efficiencyaccountability and transparencyoperational improvements

— 647 — Department of Veterans Affairs reimagine the health care footprint in some locales, and spur a realignment of capacity through budgetary allocations. Specifically: 1. Embrace the expansion of Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) as an avenue to maintain a VA footprint in challenging medical markets without investing further in obsolete and unaffordable VA health care campuses. 2. Explore the potential to pilot facility-sharing partnerships between the VA and strained local health care systems to reduce costs by leveraging limited talent and resources. Personnel l Extend the term of the Under Secretary for Health (USH) to five years. Additionally, authority should be given to reappoint this individual for a second five-year term both to allow for continuity and to protect the USH from political transition. l Establish a Senior Executive Service (SES) position of VHA Care System Chief Information Officer (CIO), selected by and reporting to the chief of the VHA Care System with a dotted line to the VA CIO. l Identify a workflow process to bring wait times in compliance with VA MISSION Act–required time frames wherever possible. 1. Assess the daily clinical appointment load for physicians and clinical staff in medical facilities where wait times for care are well outside of the time frames required by the VA MISSION Act. 2. Require VHA facilities to increase the number of patients seen each day to equal the number seen by DOD medical facilities: approximately 19 patients per provider per day. Currently, VA facilities may be seeing as few as six patients per provider per day. 3. Consider a pilot program to extend weekday appointment hours and offer Saturday appointment options to veterans if a facility continues to demonstrate that it has excess capacity and is experiencing delays in the delivery of care for veterans. 4. Identify clinical services that are consistently in high demand but require cost-prohibitive compensation to recruit and retain talent, and examine exceptions for higher competitive pay. — 648 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 5. Assess the medical facilities where Community Care is readily available but referrals for Community Care are below the averages in other similar markets, referrals expiring are above the average, and/ or canceled appointments are above the average. Identify reasons and factors and consider possible ways to improve timeliness and responsiveness for veterans. 6. Further explore how to leverage telehealth to reduce personnel costs across the enterprise and serve veterans. Continue to pursue expansion of broadband services to remote and rural areas. 7. Assess recruitment and retention in highly competitive medical markets to identify common limiting factors for attracting high-demand, specialized occupations. 8. Consider aggressively recruiting retired physicians who desire to serve veterans. 9. Consider expanding VA tuition assistance in exchange for reciprocal service in rural or understaffed VAMCs. 10. Examine the surpluses or deficits in mental health professionals throughout the enterprise, recognizing that the department needs a blend of social workers, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists with a focus on attracting high-quality talent. l Conduct a high-priority assessment of Electronic Health Record (EHR) transition delays and functionality problems. VA innovation in health care for the next 20 years and beyond will rest squarely on the timely implementation of the new VHA EHR in coordination with the DOD’s parallel pacing effort. The VA’s EHR rollout has been blocked by technical delays at local facilities where personnel have raised safety concerns and infrastructure has not been modernized to accept the new system. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION (VBA) Needed Reforms The most evident and ongoing concern is the complexity of benefits, which can lead to confusion for the veteran and, if not mitigated early in the veteran’s interactions, long-term distrust of and animosity toward the VA. Wholesale ben- efits reform is unnecessary and politically a “third rail,” but effective managerial

Department of Veterans Affairs

Moderate

Vector: 63%

Pages: 676-678AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill seeks to improve VA customer service through automated phone systems, which aligns with Project 2025's broader call for VA operational improvements, IT modernization, and efficient service delivery, though the bill's focus is narrower than the policy's comprehensive reforms."

Key themes:VA service efficiencytechnology modernizationcustomer experienceaccountability

— 643 — Department of Veterans Affairs with a growth in same-day surgical procedures and outpatient care, so has the VA, and in 2018 Congress added access to private-sector urgent care outlets as one of the VA’s health care benefits. Today, the VA operates 172 inpatient VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), which are an average of 60 years old, and 1,113 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), which are newer facilities designed to meet the needs of veterans closer to home. The VA also manages a Community Care Network (CCN) through contracts with Optum and TriWest, third-party health care administrators responsible for build- ing and maintaining a robust population of community providers to meet the needs of veterans referred for care outside of the VA system. Currently, approximately 6.4 million veterans out of 18 million nationally (and out of the 9.1 million who are enrolled) use the VA for health care; the remainder use employer-sponsored plans, Tricare, Medicare, and Medicaid. The disability benefits system evolved significantly in the years between the Cold War era and the global war on terrorism, a period when the VA enrolled large numbers of veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam who were seeking disability benefits and health care. Disability compensation is the largest VA benefit, but there also are dozens of others, the next largest of which are the GI Bill and the Home Loan Guaranty. These benefits are administered through 56 Regional Benefits Offices (RBOs) and hundreds of satellite sites around the country. The Agent Orange Act of 19914 significantly expanded the scope of disability ben- efits for those who had deployed to Vietnam, and the cost of those benefits began to increase dramatically as the Vietnam generation of veterans aged and began to expe- rience adverse health conditions, some of which were presumed to have been caused by defoliant chemicals used in Southeast Asia. In 2016 and 2017, a burdensome backlog of appeals of denied disability claims from multiple wartime generations—a backlog numbering in the hundreds of thousands—led to a joint effort by the VA, Vet- eran Service Organizations (VSOs), and Congress to pass legislation that streamlined appeal processes. Implemented in 2017, this historic “good governance” success has helped the VA to reduce the number of these appeals dramatically. The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 20225 addressed adverse health outcomes presumed to be the result of veterans’ exposure to airborne toxins during the global war on terrorism and further expanded disability benefits to the most recent gen- eration of veterans. These ambitious authorities, like the 1991 authorities, have the potential to overwhelm the VA’s ability to process new disability claims and adjudicate appeals. Currently, the VA is seeking to hire large numbers of personnel to process these claims while exploring the use of an automated process to accel- erate claims reviews and decisions. The ever-present lag in the hiring and training of new employees could result in major problems with the timely adjudication of benefits well into the next Administration in 2025. — 644 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise In sum, the VA for the foreseeable future will experience significant fiscal, human capital, and infrastructure crosswinds and risks. Budgets are at historic highs, and with a workforce now above 400,000, the VA is contending with a lack of new veteran enrollees to offset the declining population of older veterans. Recruitment of medical and benefits personnel has become more challenging. Veterans are migrating from the northern states to the southern and western states for retirement and employment. Meanwhile, VA information technol- ogy (IT) is struggling to keep pace with the evolution of patient care and record keeping. Consequently, VA leaders in the next Administration must be wise and courageous political strategists, experienced managers to run day-to-day oper- ations more effectively, innovators to address the changing veteran landscape, and agile “fixers” to mitigate and repair systemic problems created or ignored by the present leadership team. VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (VHA) Needed Reforms l Rescind all departmental clinical policy directives that are contrary to principles of conservative governance starting with abortion services and gender reassignment surgery. Neither aligns with service-connected conditions that would warrant VA’s providing this type of clinical care, and both follow the Left’s pernicious trend of abusing the role of government to further its own agenda. l Focus on the effects of shifting veteran demographics. At least during the next decade, the VA will experience a significant generational shift in its overall patient population. Of the approximately 18 million veterans alive today, roughly 9.1 million are enrolled for VA health care, and 6.4 million of these enrollees use VA health care consistently. These 6.4 million veterans are split almost evenly between those who are over age 65 and those who are under age 65, but the share of VA’s health care dollars is spent predominantly in the over-65 cohort. That share increases significantly as veterans live longer and use the VHA system at a higher rate. VHA enrollments of new users are increasingly at risk of being exceeded by the deaths of current enrollees, primarily because significant numbers of the Vietnam generation are reaching their life expectancy. The generational transition from Vietnam-era veterans to post-9/11 veterans will take several years to complete. The ongoing demographic transition is a catalyst for needed assessments of how the VA can improve the delivery of care to a numerically declining and differently dispersed national population

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

Related Bills

Other Bills by Rep. Calvert, Ken

Secure Our Ports Act of 2025

119/hr/252

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2027

119/hr/9495

Federal Working Animal Protection Act

119/hr/4638

Back to All Bills