,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bgjg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,may #be1 #bjag,ms4   
,mi*elle ,lujan ,gri%am ( ,new ,mexico  
7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,b5 ,ray ,lujn ( ,new   
,mexico1 ,mr4 ,mc,kinley1 & ,mr4 ,pe>ce7
 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$   
,/ates ,code1 to e/abli% an ,ombudsman  
)9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration ( !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  #a4     
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,ensur+ ,fair ,access to ,vet]ans       
,heal?c>e ,act4  #b4 ,e/abli%m5t (      
,(fice ( ! ,ombudsman  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t  
,sub*apt] ,i ( *apt] #gc ( title #ch1   
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at
 ! end ! foll[+ new section3  #gcaj4    
,(fice ( ! ,ombudsman  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t  
,!re is e/abli%$ 9 ! ,vet]ans ,heal?    
,adm9i/ration an ,(fice ( ! ,ombudsman  
79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ! ,(fice74 ,!
 ,(fice %all be head$ by an ,ombudsman  
appo9t$ by ! ,secret>y4 ,! ,ombudsman   

%all report directly to & be "u ! g5]al 
sup]vision ( ! ,secret>y1 b %all n      
report to1 or be subject to sup]vision  
by1 any o!r (fic] ( ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,vet]ans ,affairs4 ,nei!r ! ,secret>y   
nor any o!r su* (fic] may prev5t or     
prohibit ! ,ombudsman f c>ry+ out !     
duties ( ! ,ombudsman4  7b7 ,duties (   
(fice ,! ,(fice %all c>ry out ! foll[+  
duties3 7#a7 ,id5tify1 inve/igate1 &    
resolve compla9ts t--  7,a7 are made by1
 or on behalf (1 cov]$ pati5ts2 &  7,b7 
relate to action1 inaction1 or decisions
 made by employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t t may  
adv]sely affect ! heal?1 safety1 welf>e1
 or rights ( cov]$ pati5ts4  7#b7 ,assi/
 cov]$ pati5ts 9 f9d+ pati5t advocates1 
vet]ans s]vice organizations1 or o!r    
simil> entities to repres5t & advocate =
 ! heal?1 safety1 welf>e1 & rights ( !  
cov]$ pati5t4  7#c7 ,in=m cov]$ pati5ts 
( ! means ( obta9+ assi/ance describ$ 9 
p>agraph 7#b74  7#d7 ,ensure t cov]$    
pati5ts h regul> & timely access to !   
s]vices provid$ by ! ,(fice1 includ+ )  

respect to receiv+ timely responses to  
compla9ts4  7#e7 ,analyze1 monitor1 &   
provide comm5ts & sugge/ions to !       
,secret>y ) respect to ! developm5t &   
implem5tation ( actions made by !       
,secret>y relat+ to ! heal?1 safety1    
welf>e1 & rights ( cov]$ pati5ts4  7#f7 
,adm9i/] ! report+ sy/em describ$ 9     
subsection 7d74  7#g7 ,provide tra9+ to 
local ombudsm5 & volunte]s describ$ 9   
subsection 7c74  7#h7 ,o!r activities t 
! ,secret>y consid]s appropriate4  7c7  
,local ombudsm5  7#a7 ,us+ am\nts       
o!rwise au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ = !  
m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 ea*    
m$ical facility %all h a local ombudsman
 responsible = c>ry+ out ! duties ( !   
,(fice at su* location4  7#b7 ,a local  
ombudsman %all-- 7,a7 c>ry out !        
assi/ance describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b7 (    
subsection 7b7 to ensure ! protection ( 
! heal?1 safety1 welf>e1 or rights (    
cov]$ pati5ts2  7,b7 ensure t cov]$     
pati5ts h regul>1 timely access to !    
,(fice1 includ+ ) respect to receiv+    

timely responses to compla9ts describ$ 9
 p>agraph 7#a7 ( su* subsection2  7,c7  
id5tify1 inve/igate1 & det]m9e h[ to    
resolve su* compla9ts2 &  7,d7 tra9     
local volunte]s f civic organizations to
 assi/ ! local ombudsman by work+       
directly ) cov]$ pati5ts to develop     
individual action plans relat+ to !     
heal?1 safety1 welf>e1 & rights ( !     
cov]$ pati5t4  7d7 ,report+ sy/em ,!    
,ombudsman %all e/abli% & adm9i/] a     
uni=m report+ sy/em to collect & analyze
 data relat+ to compla9ts describ$ 9    
subsection 7b77#a7 9 ord] to id5tify to 
! ,secret>y & det]m9e h[ to resolve     
significant problems 9 ! m$ical         
facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7e7          
,coop]ation ,! ,secret>y %all ensure t  
ea* m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t       
coop]ates ) ! ,(fice 9 c>ry+ out ?is    
section4  7f7 ,annual report ,!         
,ombudsman %all submit to ! ,secret>y & 
,congress an annual report t conta9s !  
foll[+ ) respect to ! ye> cov]$ by !    
report3  7#a7 ,a description ( !        

activities c>ri$ out by ! ,(fice4  7#b7 
,an analysis ( ! data describ$ 9        
subsection 7d74  7#c7 ,an evaluation ( !
 problems exp]i5c$ by1 & ! compla9ts    
made by or on behalf (1 cov]$ pati5ts4  
7#d7 ,recomm5dations =-- 7,a7 improv+ ! 
quality ( c>e & life ( cov]$ pati5ts2 & 
7,b7 protect+ ! heal?1 safety1 welf>e1 &
 rights ( cov]$ pati5ts4  7#e7 ,an      
analysis ( ! success ( ! ,(fice1        
includ+--  7,a7 a description ( !       
s]vices provid$ to cov]$ pati5ts z      
describ$ 9 subsection 7b77#b72 &  7,b7  
an id5tification ( b>ri]s to ! ,(fice = 
bett] c>ry+ out ! duties ( ! ,(fice4    
7#f7 ,any comm5ts & sugge/ions describ$ 
9 subsection 7b77#e74  7#g7 ,any o!r    
in=mation ! ,ombudsman consid]s         
appropriate4  7g7 ,cov]$ pati5t describ$
 ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m cov]$ pati5t     
means an individual :o is receiv+ m$ical
 c>e or hospital s]vices at a m$ical    
facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical
 am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+
 ( su* *apt] is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] !  

item relat+ to section #gcji ! foll[+   
new item3  #gcaj4 ,(fice ( ! ,ombudsman4
  4