S. 2070 — Introduced in Senate

II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2070 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 21, 2023Ms. Cantwell (for herself and Mr. Cassidy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from replacing physician anesthesiologists with certified registered nurse anesthetists under the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protect Lifesaving Anesthesia Care for Veterans Act of 2023. 2. Prohibition on replacement of physician anesthesiologists under health care system of Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Prohibition The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not— (1) modify the policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to anesthesia care in a manner that would provide any medical professional other than a physician anesthesiologist with full practice authority for the furnishment of anesthesia care to veterans under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (including by providing certified registered nurse anesthetists with such full practice authority); or (2) finalize, implement, or enforce the provisions relating to anesthesia care of the proposed rule titled Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and published in the Federal Register on May 25, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 33155), or any substantially similar rule. (b) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to issue any short-term emergency order relating to the safety, care, or well-being of veterans during surgical procedures.