,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dhih  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #ah1 #bjad ,ms4
 ,sinema 7for herself and ,mr4 ,salmon7 
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to direct the ,secretary of ,veterans   
,affairs to provide hospital care and   
medical services in non-,department     
facilities for veterans waiting longer  
than #ad days for an appointment in a   
,department facility1 and for other     
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,access to          
,veteran-,centered ,community ,care     
,act4  #b4 ,department of ,veterans     
,affairs provision of hospital care and 
medical services in non-,department     
facilities for veterans waiting #ad days
 or longer for an appointment ,section  
#agjc of title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code1 is amended by adding at the end  
the following new subsection3  7e7  7#a7

 ,in carrying out this section1 the     
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
determine that if any veteran has been  
waiting for #ad days or longer for an   
appointment to receive hospital care or 
medical services1 including primary     
care1 in a ,department facility that the
 ,department facility is not capable of 
furnishing the care or services         
required4 ,the ,secretary shall ensure  
that such care or services are provided 
to such a veteran at a non-,department  
facility under a contract under this    
section4  7#b7 ,if1 in the course of    
receiving hospital care or medical      
services in a non-,department facility1 
a veteran is referred to another        
non-,department facility for specialty  
care1 such referral shall be submitted  
to the ,secretary who may reject such   
referral during the #gb-;hour period    
following such submittal4 ,if the       
,secretary does not reject the referral 
during such period1 the ,secretary shall
 ensure that such specialty care is     

provided to the veteran at a            
non-,department facility under a        
contract under this section4  4