,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #aabe  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #h1 #bjai,mr4
 ,kilm] 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,web/] (       
,florida1 ,mr4 ,ru!r=d1 ,mr4 ,pet]s1    
,mrs4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,kelly (            
,p5nsylvania1 ,mr4 ,m\lton1 ,mrs4       
,brooks ( ,indiana1 & ,ms4 ,ku/] ( ,new 
,hamp%ire7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 
0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'   
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct !       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry   
out a pilot program on physical security
 at ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical
 facilities1 to direct ! ,secret>y to   
make c]ta9 improvem5ts relat+ to        
inspections ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs m$ical facilities & improv+ c>e
 = wom51 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort   
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !         
,acc\ntability = ,quality ,,va ,heal?c>e
 ,act4  #b4 ,pilot program on physical  
security at ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs m$ical facilities  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,beg9n+ n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date

 ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act ! ,secret>y (  
,vet]ans ,affairs %all c>ry out a pilot 
program to enhance ! physical security (
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical   
facilities4 ,at ! m$ical facilities     
select$ = ! pilot program1 ! ,secret>y  
%all--  7#a7 ensure t al>m sy/ems       
effectively notify relevant /aff 9 !    
police comm& & control c5t]s & ! unit   
nurs+ /ations ( ! facility2 &  7#b7     
require relevant m$ical c5t] /akehold]s 
to coord9ate & consult on-- 7,a7 plans =
 new & r5ovat$ units2 &  7,b7 any *anges
 to physical security features1 includ+ 
clos$-circuit television cam]as4  7b7   
,locations ,! ,secret>y %all select five
 m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t to     
p>ticipate 9 ! pilot program4  7c7      
,t]m9ation ,! pilot program %all t]m9ate
 on ! date t is two ye>s aft] ! date on 
:i* ! pilot program comm5ces4  7d7      
,report ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] !     
t]m9ation ( ! pilot program "u          
subsection 7c71 ! ,secret>y %all submit 
to ,congress a report on ! pilot        

program4  #c4 ,report on ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs improvem5t ( facility 
alignm5t  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ij  
days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all submit to ,congress a report on !  
f9d+s & recomm5dations ( ! report ( !   
,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice entitl$ 
,,va ,real ,prop]ty3 ,,va ,%\ld ,improve
 ,its ,ef=ts to ,align ,facilities )    
,vet]ans' ,ne$s4 ,! report submitt$ by !
 ,secret>y %all include ! plan ( !      
,secret>y1 includ+ a "t frame =         
completion1 to specifically address !   
foll[+ recomm5dations3  7#a7 ,to address
 id5tifi$ limitations to ! /rategic     
capital inve/m5t plann+ process1 includ+
 limitations to scor+ & approval &      
access to in=mation4  7#b7 ,to assess ! 
value ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
,integrat$ ,plann+ facility ma/] plans z
 a facility-plann+ tool1 & bas$ on      
conclusions conta9$ 9 ! ,gov]nm5t       
,acc\ntability ,(fice report1 ei!r      
discont9ue ! developm5t ( su* ma/] plans

 or address ! limitations ( su* ma/]    
plans4  7#c7 ,to develop & di/ribute    
guidance = ,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vice  
,networks & facilities us+ be/ practices
 on h[ to effectively communicate )     
/akehold]s ab\t alignm5t *ange4  7#d7   
,to develop & implem5t a me*anism to    
evaluate ,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vice    
,network & facility communication ef=ts 
) /akehold]s to ensure t su*            
communication ef=ts are work+ z int5d$ &
 align ) guidance & be/ practices4  7b7 
,public availability ,^u submittal ( !  
report "u subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y   
%all make ! report publicly available on
 an int]net website ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  #d4 
,update ( h&book to improve leas+       
projects ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] !   
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & n less  
?an once e five-ye> p]iod !reaft]1 !    
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
update ! h&book ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs titl$ ,plann+ & ,activat+     
,community ,bas$ ,outpati5t ,cl9ics1 or 
a successor h&book1 to reflect curr5t   

policies1 be/ practices1 & cl>ify !     
roles & responsibilities ( ! p]sonnel ( 
! ,dep>tm5t involv$ 9 ! leas+ projects (
 ! ,dep>tm5t4  #e4 ,improvem5t (        
inspections ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs m$ical facilities & improvem5t 
( c>e = wom5 provid$ by ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress 
makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs has policies 9 place
 to help ensure ! privacy1 safety1 &    
dignity ( wom5 vet]ans :5 !y receive c>e
 at its m$ical facilities4  7#b7 ,a     
,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice report  
f\nd _m in/ances ( noncompliance ) su*  
policies4  7#c7 ,wom5 vet]ans are !     
fa/e/ gr[+ cohort )9 ! vet]an community4
  7#d7 ,wom5 s]ve 9 e bran* ( ! ,arm$   
,=ces & repres5t ne>ly #ae p]c5t ( !    
memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces curr5tly s]v+ on 
active duty & #ah p]c5t ( memb]s ( !    
,national ,gu>d & res]ve compon5ts4     
7#e7 ,! numb] ( wom5 vet]ans us+ !      
m$ical c>e provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs is expect$ to increase

 dramatically4  7b7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x
 is ! s5se ( ,congress t-- 7#a7 female  
vet]ans are put at risk by a sy/em t is 
curr5tly design$ = m52 &  7#b7 !        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %\ld foll[
 ?r\gh ) commitm5ts to ensure female    
vet]ans c access s]vices tailor$ to _!  
ne$s4  7c7 ,improvem5t ( inspections (  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical    
facilities & improvem5t ( c>e = wom5    
provid$ by ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
  7#a7 ,improvem5t ( inspections process
 ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all  
/r5g!n ! environm5t ( c>e inspections   
process & ov]sight ( su* process by--   
7,a7 exp&+ ! li/ ( requirem5ts t        
facility /aff inspect = compliance to   
align ) ! policy ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?    
,adm9i/ration2  7,b7 ensur+ t all pati5t
 c>e areas ( ,dep>tm5t m$ical facilities
 are inspect$ z requir$2  7,c7 cl>ify+ !
 roles & responsibilities ( ,dep>tm5t   
m$ical facility /aff responsible =      
id5tify+ & address+ compliance2 &  7,d7 
e/abli%+ a process to v]ify t           

noncompliance in=mation report$ by      
facilities to ! ,vet]ans ,heal?         
,adm9i/ration c5tral (fice is accurate &
 complete4  7#b7 ,improvem5t ( c>e =    
wom5  7,a7 ,monitor+ ( g5d]-specific c>e
 s]vices ,to improve c>e = wom5 vet]ans1
 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all   
monitor wom5 vet]ans' access to         
g5d]-specific c>e s]vices "u curr5t &   
future community c>e contracts or       
agreem5ts4 ,su* monitor+ %all include an
 exam9ation ( appo9tm5t s*$ul+ &        
completion times1 driv+ times to        
appo9tm5ts1 & reasons appo9tm5ts c\ld n 
be s*$ul$ ) community provid]s4  7,b7   
,def9itions ,9 ?is subp>agraph3 7i7 ,!  
t]m g5d]-specific c>e s]vices means     
mammography1 mat]nity c>e1 & gynecology4
  7ii7 ,! t]m community c>e contract or 
agreem5t means an agreem5t describ$ 9   
section #aja7;d7 ( ! ,vet]ans ,access1  
,*oice1 & ,acc\ntability ,act ( #bjad   
7,public ,law #aac-adf71 or o!r contract
 or agreem5t "u :i* ! ,secret>y furni%es
 hospital c>e & m$ical treatm5t to      

vet]ans at non-,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs heal? c>e facilities4  #f4     
,improvem5t ( deliv]y ( c>e at ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical facilities  
7a7 ,wait times ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs %all cle>ly id5tify measures = 
wait times = m$ical appo9tm5ts 9        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical    
facilities 9 a mann] t r$uces !         
likelihood ( an individual mis9t]pret+  
su* measures4  7b7 ,s*$ul+ ,! ,secret>y 
%all ensure t ! t]m pati5t indicat$ date
 is cle>ly def9$ = purposes ( ! s*$ul+  
policy ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration
 & 9 relat$ tra9+ docum5ts4 ,! ,secret>y
 %all take su* /eps z may be necess>y to
 ensure su* t]m is correctly implem5t$  
by employees :o p]=m s*$ul+ functions4  
7c7 ,/aff availability  7#a7            
,allocation2 s*$ul+ ,! ,secret>y %all   
develop a policy requir+ ,dep>tm5t (    
,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical facilities to  
r\t9ely assess ! s*$ul+ ne$s & res\rces 
requir$ to ensure t employees ( su*     
facilities are allocat$ 9 su* a mann] z 

to adequately respond to ! dem& = s*$ul+
 m$ical appo9tm5ts4  7#b7 ,recruitm5t & 
ret5tion ,! ,secret>y %all develop a    
/rategy to improve recruitm5t & ret5tion
 ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical 
provid]s & employees :o p]=m s*$ul+     
functions = ,dep>tm5t m$ical facilities4
 ,su* /rategy %all be design$ to ensure 
adequate /aff+ ( ,dep>tm5t m$ical       
facilities & %all emphasize recruitm5t &
 ret5tion 9 facilities locat$ 9 rural   
areas4  7d7 ,telephone access ,!        
,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 ensure t all      
,dep>tm5t m$ical facilities provide     
ov]sight ( telephone access & implem5t !
 be/ practices outl9$ 9 ! ,dep>tm5t     
#bjae ,telephone ,access & ,contact     
,managem5t ,improvem5t ,guide1 or a     
successor guide2 &  7#b7 id5tify m$ical 
facilities t are us+ outdat$ telephone  
te*nology & replace su* te*nology ) new 
sy/ems design$ to improve telephone     
s]vice & access to heal? c>e4  #g4      
,annual report reg>d+ ! recruitm5t1     
hir+1 & ret5tion ( nurses = ! ,vet]ans  

,heal? ,adm9i/ration  7a7 ,report       
requir$ ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date (
 ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act & annually       
!reaft]1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 %all publi% & submit to ! ,committees  
on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report reg>d+ 
ef=ts to recruit1 hire1 & reta9 nurses =
 ! ,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration4  7b7  
,elem5ts ,! report "u subsection 7a7    
%all include details relat+ to-- 7#a7   
ef=ts to recruit1 hire1 & reta9 nurses  
at ea* m$ical facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t2   
7#b7 res\rces provid$ by ! ,secret>y to 
recruit1 hire1 & reta9 nurses = !       
,vet]ans ,heal? ,adm9i/ration2 &  7#c7  
recomm5dations = legislation ! ,secret>y
 consid]s appropriate4  #h4 ,re9/atem5t 
( report+ requirem5t reg>d+ ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs ,heal? ,pr(essionals
 ,educational ,assi/ance ,program       
,section #cjjc7;a77#a7 ( ! ,f$]al       
,reports ,elim9ation & ,sunset ,act (   
#aiie 7,public ,law #ajd-ff2 #ca        
,u4,s4,c4 #aaac note7 %all n apply to ! 

report requir$ "u section #gfcb ( title 
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4