,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #diga  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,june #be1 #bjad ,mr4 
,o',r\rke 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,flores1 ,ms4
 ,gabb>d1 ,mr4 ,hors=d1 ,mr4 ,israel1   
,mr4 ,jolly1 ,mr4 ,mi*aud1 ,mr4         
,pallone1 ,mr4 ,swalwell ( ,cali=nia1   
,ms4 ,hanabusa1 ,ms4 ,hahn1 & ,mr4      
,?ompson ( ,cali=nia7 introduc$ ! foll[+
 bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
to conduct annual surveys ( vet]ans on  
exp]i5ces obta9+ hospital c>e & m$ical  
s]vices f m$ical facilities ( !         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r  
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,ask ,vet]ans ,act4  #b4   
,survey ( vet]an exp]i5ces ) ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical c>e  7a7 ,9   
g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  
%all seek to ent] into a contract ) a   
non-gov]nm5t entity ) significant       
exp]i5ce conduct+ sci5tifically         
v]ifiable surveys & rese>* to conduct an

 annual survey ( a /ati/ically          
significant sample ( vet]ans :o reside 9
 ! geographic area s]v$ by ea* ( !      
m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs to det]m9e ! nature ( 
! exp]i5ces ( su* vet]ans 9 obta9+      
hospital c>e & m$ical s]vices furni%$ by
 ! ,secret>y at ea* su* m$ical facility4
 ,ea* su* survey %all be conduct$ us+   
sci5tific & v]ifiable me?ods4 ,su*      
contract %all provide t ! non-gov]nm5t  
entity %all conduct su* annual surveys  
dur+ ! five-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date  
on :i* ! ,secret>y ent]s into ! contract
 ) ! non-gov]nm5t entity4  7b7 ,cont5ts 
,! contract ent]$ into "u subsection 7a7
 %all provide t ea* survey conduct$     
pursuant to ! contract %all be specific 
to a m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t &    
%all include que/ions relat+ to !       
exp]i5ces ( vet]ans 9 reque/+ & receiv+ 
appo9tm5ts = hospital c>e & m$ical      
s]vices furni%$ by ! ,secret>y at t     
m$ical facility1 includ+ que/ions relat+
 to ea* ( ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,! vet]an's   

ability to obta9 hospital c>e & m$ical  
s]vices at ! facility 9 a timely mann]4 
7#b7 ,! p]iod ( "t betwe5 ! date on :i* 
! vet]an reque/s an appo9tm5t at !      
facility & ! date on :i* ! appo9tm5t is 
s*$ul$4  7#c7 ,! frequ5cy ) :i* s*$ul$  
appo9tm5ts are cancell$ by ! facility4  
7#d7 ,! quality ( hospital c>e or m$ical
 s]vices ! vet]an has receiv$ at !      
facility4  7c7 ,consultation ,! contract
 ent]$ into "u subsection 7a7 %all      
provide t 9 design+ & conduct+ ! surveys
 = ea* m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t    
pursuant to su* contract1 ! non-gov]nm5t
 entity %all consult ) vet]ans s]vice   
organizations4  7d7 ,c]tification ,!    
contract ent]$ into "u subsection 7a7   
%all provide t--  7#a7 be=e conduct+ a  
survey pursuant to ! contract1 !        
non-gov]nm5t entity %all submit !       
propos$ survey to ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al  
:o %all assess :e!r ! survey is         
sci5tifically valid & :e!r ! propos$    
sample size ( vet]ans to be survey$ is  
/ati/ically significant2 &  7#b7 !      

non-gov]nm5t entity may n conduct su* a 
survey until ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al       
provides su* a c]tification = ! survey4 
7e7 ,submittal ( results & public       
availability ( in=mation ,n lat] ?an #cj
 days aft] ! completion ( ! surveys     
conduct$ pursuant to a contract ent]$   
into "u subsection 7a7 = a ye>1 !       
,secret>y %all make ! results ( !       
surveys publicly available on ! ,int]net
 website ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7f7 ,pap]work  
r$uction ,sub*apt] ,i ( *apt] #ce (     
title #dd1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code %all n   
apply to ?is section4  7g7 ,deadl9e =   
implem5tation ,! ,secret>y %all ent]    
into a contract "u subsection 7a7 = ea* 
m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t by n lat] 
?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (
 ?is ,act4