,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ccda  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #ae1 
#bjbc,mr4 ,tester 7for himself1 ,mr4    
,moran1 and ,ms4 ,hirono7 introduced the
 following bill2 which was read twice   
and referred to the ,committee on       
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
improve the emergency management        
capabilities of the ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,advancing ,,va's   
,emergency ,response to 7,,avert7       
,crises ,act of #bjbc4  #b4 ,requirement
 for ,department of ,veterans ,affairs  
to implement a fully operational        
emergency communications system         
throughout medical facilities of        
,department  7a7 ,implementation        
required ,not later than two years after
 the date of the enactment of this ,act1
 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs   
shall implement a fully operational     
high-frequency emergency communications 

system throughout medical facilities of 
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  
7b7 ,purpose of system ,the system      
required to be implemented under        
subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 serve as a  
means of maintaining communications at  
medical facilities of the ,department   
during disasters or emergencies without 
the need for external infrastructure2   
7#b7 enable emergency communications    
between medical facilities of the       
,department and other ,government       
agencies with high-frequency            
communications capabilities2 and  7#c7  
be used to reestablish the provision of 
health care services to veterans1       
maintain the situational awareness of   
staff of the ,department1 coordinate    
emergency response1 and request         
resources as needed4  7c7 ,consultation 
,in preparing to carry out subsection   
7a71 the ,secretary of ,veterans        
,affairs shall consult with the         
,secretary of ,homeland ,security and   
the heads of such other ,federal        

agencies as the ,secretary of ,veterans 
,affairs considers relevant1 on best    
practices in implementing high-frequency
 emergency communications4  7d7         
,contracts  7#a7 ,in general ,in        
carrying out subsection 7a71 the        
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall--
 7,a7 renegotiate any contract in effect
 on the day before the date of the      
enactment of this ,act that provides for
 the ,resilient ,high ,frequency ,radio 
,network of the ,department2 or  7,b7   
solicit such new contracts as the       
,secretary considers appropriate to     
provide the high-frequency emergency    
communications services and equipment   
necessary to carry out subsection 7a74  
7#b7 ,maintenance ,in carrying out      
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall    
ensure that a contract is in effect for 
the high-frequency emergency            
communications system required by such  
subsection1 including for the provision 
of on-demand maintenance and routine    
maintenance4  7e7 ,requirements ,in     

carrying out subsection 7a71 the        
,secretary shall-- 7#a7 designate one   
office in the ,central ,office of the   
,department to lead the implementation  
of the emergency communications system  
required under such subsection2  7#b7   
create a staffing model to be           
distributed to and used by medical      
facilities of the ,department-- 7,a7 to 
identify who at the facility level will 
be responsible for verifying that the   
equipment for such system is fully      
functional2 and  7,b7 to ensure such    
system is monitored at all times2  7#c7 
create and distribute guidelines to     
medical facilities of the ,department1  
in conjunction with the appropriately   
designated contracting officer or       
acquisition center1 for acceptance and  
installation of such system1 including  
demonstration of operability before     
final inspection and acceptance of such 
system2  7#d7 ensure equipment          
functionality and operator knowledge by 
creating and managing a training and    

testing program to include-- 7,a7       
ensuring relevant staff receive         
comprehensive training regarding such   
system1 including training on operation 
and maintenance of such system2  7,b7   
conducting internal exercises at all    
medical facilities of the ,department   
not less frequently than once per year  
to test equipment functionality and     
ensure staff have experience operating  
the equipment in a simulated emergency2 
and  7,c7 collaborating with the        
,secretary of ,homeland ,security to    
determine the feasibility of conducting 
multi-agency exercises every two years2 
7#e7 create and distribute general      
guidance to medical facilities of the   
,department regarding where emergency   
communications equipment should be      
located in a medical facility1 and      
collect and store information on the    
location of the equipment in each       
medical facility2  7#f7 ensure medical  
facilities of the ,department include   
information on such system in each      

facility-specific ,comprehensive        
,emergency ,management ,program1 or     
successor program2 and  7#g7 ensure     
medical facilities of the ,department   
regularly monitor the staffing levels   
and training programs for such system to
 ensure enough trained staff are        
available to monitor such system at all 
times4  7f7 ,phased implementation  7#a7
 ,initial locations ,the ,secretary of  
,veterans ,affairs shall ensure that the
 system required by subsection 7a7 is   
initially installed and tested          
throughout three ,veterans ,integrated  
,service ,networks the ,secretary shall 
select for the purposes of this section4
  7#b7 ,determination of fully          
operational system and notice to        
,congress  7,a7 ,in general ,once the   
system required by subsection 7a7 is    
installed and tested in the three       
,veterans ,integrated ,service ,networks
 pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 and the     
,secretary determines the system is     
fully operational in accordance with    

subparagraph 7,b7 and is able to be     
implemented at all medical facilities of
 the ,department1 the ,secretary shall  
submit to ,congress notice of such      
determination4  7,b7 ,determination ,the
 ,secretary may only determine that the 
system described in subparagraph 7,a7 is
 fully operational if-- 7i7 the         
,secretary validates the completion of  
training1 certification1 and system use 
by the applicable workforce2  7ii7 the  
system has been monitored by the        
applicable workforce for a period of    
three months2  7iii7 the system has been
 in operation for a continuous period of
 three months without any system        
outages2 and  7iv7 the ,secretary has   
completed two training exercises        
involving all test installation sites4  
7#c7 ,full implementation ,once the     
,secretary has determined pursuant to   
paragraph 7#b7 that the system required 
by subsection 7a7 is fully operational  
and submitted notice to ,congress of    
such determination in accordance with   

such paragraph1 the ,secretary shall    
implement the system at all medical     
facilities of the ,department4  7g7     
,initial report  7#a7 ,in general ,not  
later than #ahj days after the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report on the plans  
of the ,secretary to implement the      
system required by subsection 7a74  7#b7
 ,elements ,the report submitted        
pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 shall include
 the following3 7,a7 ,a detailed        
timeline of the planned implementation  
of the system required by subsection    
7a74  7,b7 ,an identification of the    
three ,veterans ,integrated ,service    
,networks selected under subsection     
7f77#a74  7,c7 ,a description of the    
specific metrics and benchmarks the     
,secretary plans to use to make the     
determination under subsection 7f77#b74 

7,d7 ,a description of the plans of the 
,secretary for contracting under        
subsection 7d77#a74  7,e7 ,a description
 of the plans of the ,secretary for     
contracting under subsection 7d77#b74   
7,f7 ,a spending plan for implementation
 of the system4  7,g7 ,an identification
 of which office the ,department has    
designated under subsection 7e77#a74    
7,h7 ,an identification of the staffing 
structure of the office identified in   
subparagraph 7,g71 including any plans  
to change the structure of such office  
to more effectively implement the       
system4  7,i7 ,details on the roles and 
responsibilities of each of the         
following entities in implementing the  
system3 7i7 ,the office identified      
pursuant to subparagraph 7,g74  7ii7    
,any other offices of the ,department   
involved at the ,central ,office of the 
,department4  7iii7 ,veterans           
,integrated ,service ,networks4  7iv7   
,medical facilities of the ,department4 
7,j7 ,a description of the staffing     

model required under subsection 7e77#b74
  7,k7 ,details on the training required
 under subsection 7e77#d77;,a71         
including-- 7i7 the components of the   
training2  7ii7 the duration of the     
training2  7iii7 the frequency of the   
training2  7iv7 which employees will be 
required to take such training2  7v7    
whether the training will be conducted  
by the ,department or a contractor2 and 
7vi7 how the ,secretary plans to oversee
 and track completion of the training4  
7,l7 ,a description of the guidelines   
created and distributed under subsection
 7e77#e74  7,m7 ,a description of how   
the ,secretary plans to ensure medical  
facilities of the ,department include   
information on the system in each       
facility-specific ,comprehensive        
,emergency ,management ,program1 or     
successor program4  7,n7 ,a description 
of how the ,secretary plans to ensure   
medical facilities of the ,department   
regularly monitor the staffing levels   
for the system to ensure enough trained 

staff are available to monitor the      
system at all times4  7,o7 ,a           
description of any updates the          
,secretary plans to make to the         
directives of the ,department on the    
topic of emergency communications4  7,p7
 ,an assessment of whether other        
facilities of the ,department1 including
 facilities of the ,veterans ,benefits  
,administration and facilities of the   
,national ,cemetery ,administration1    
require the implementation of a         
high-frequency emergency communications 
system1 and if so-- 7i7 the plan of the 
,secretary to implement a high-frequency
 emergency communications system        
throughout such facilities2 and  7ii7   
whether the ,secretary requires action  
by ,congress to carry out such plan4    
7h7 ,annual reports  7#a7 ,in general   
,not later than #ij days after the date 
on which the ,secretary completes       
implementation of the system under      
subsection 7a71 and not less frequently 
than once each year thereafter1 the     

,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report on the        
operations of such system4  7#b7        
,contents ,each report submitted        
pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 shall        
include1 for the period covered by the  
report1 the following3 7,a7 ,information
 on whether each site hosting the system
 required by subsection 7a7 is          
adequately staffed to monitor the system
 #bd hours per day for seven days per   
week4  7,b7 ,information on whether any 
outages have occurred with respect to   
such system since the previous report1  
or1 for the first report1 whether any   
outages have occurred since the full    
implementation of such system under     
subsection 7f77#c74  7,c7 ,the results  
of internal and external exercises      
conducted to demonstrate functionality  
of such system4  7,d7 ,whether any      
contract renegotiations or modifications

 or new contracts have occurred for     
either the procurement of high-frequency
 emergency communications equipment1    
maintenance1 or training4  7,e7 ,any    
updated guidance or trainings provided  
to employees tasked with overseeing such
 system4  7i7 ,,oig report ,not later   
than three years after the date of the  
enactment of this ,act1 the ,inspector  
,general of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs shall submit to the ,committee
 on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate  
and the ,committee on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives a report on the        
implementation by the ,department of the
 system required by subsection 7a71     
which shall include an analysis of the  
following3 7#a7 ,the effectiveness and  
functionality of the system4  7#b7 ,the 
staffing model required under subsection
 7e77#b74  7#c7 ,the level of           
coordination by the ,central ,office of 
the ,department with medical facilities 
of the ,department in helping those     

facilities implement and maintain the   
system4  7#d7 ,the effectiveness of the 
training and testing program required   
under subsection 7e77#d74  7#e7 ,any    
difficulties with ensuring trained staff
 are available to monitor the system at 
all times4  #c4 ,report on emergency    
management roles for ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,in general ,not
 later than #ahj days after the date of 
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives a report    
outlining the roles and responsibilities
 of all offices of the ,department of   
,veterans ,affairs involved with        
emergency management4  7b7 ,consultation
 ,in preparing the report required by   
subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs shall consult with   
the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united
 ,states1 the ,inspector ,general of the

 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 the 
,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 and  
such other ,federal agencies as the     
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
considers relevant1 to obtain insights  
from their experience and trends that   
they have found1 and such               
recommendations as they may have with   
respect to the management by the        
,department of ,veterans ,affairs of    
emergency management functions4  7c7    
,contents ,the report submitted pursuant
 to subsection 7a7 shall include the    
following3 7#a7 ,a description of the   
organizational structure of each office1
 both during normal operations and      
during emergency or disaster operations4
  7#b7 ,the roles and responsibilities  
of each office4  7#c7 ,a detailed       
description of roles and                
responsibilities that are shared by both
 the ,office of ,emergency ,management  
of the ,department and the ,office of   
,operations1 ,security1 and             
,preparedness of the ,department1       

including an analysis of how each office
 plays a part in emergency management   
functions4  7#d7 ,recommendations for   
improving the structure and alignment of
 relevant offices to better prepare the 
,department for emergencies1 remove     
redundancies1 and improve               
accountability4  7#e7 ,an analysis of   
the feasibility and advisability of     
consolidating relevant offices into one 
centralized emergency management office 
to improve communication and streamline 
emergency preparedness and response     
efforts of the ,department4  #d4 ,report
 on ,regional ,readiness ,centers of    
,department of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7  
,in general ,not later than #ahj days   
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs shall submit to the ,committee 
on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate   
and the ,committee on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives a report on the        
,regional ,readiness ,centers of the    

,department of ,veterans ,affairs4  7b7 
,contents ,the report submitted pursuant
 to subsection 7a7 shall include the    
following3 7#a7 ,the number of requests 
made by facilities of the ,department to
 obtain supplies from a ,regional       
,readiness ,center since the inception  
of the ,regional ,readiness ,center     
program1 disaggregated by ,regional     
,readiness ,center4  7#b7 ,information  
on types and amounts of material        
distributed since the inception of the  
,regional ,readiness ,center program1   
disaggregated by ,regional ,readiness   
,center4  7#c7 ,current inventory1      
disaggregated by ,regional ,readiness   
,center4  7#d7 ,an overview of the      
change in inventory in each ,regional   
,readiness ,center during the two-year  
period ending on the date of the        
enactment of this ,act4  7#e7 ,the      
percentage of inventory that is expired 
or that will expire in the next month1  
disaggregated by ,regional ,readiness   
,center4  7#f7 ,operational costs since 

the inception of the ,regional          
,readiness ,center program1             
disaggregated by ,regional ,readiness   
,center4  7#g7 ,an analysis of the types
 and sizes of emergencies1 including    
natural disasters1 public health        
emergencies1 or ,fourth ,mission        
activations of the ,department1 with    
respect to which each ,regional         
,readiness ,center would be able to     
provide sufficient resources to respond 
to1 based on the current capacity of the
 ,regional ,readiness ,center4  7#h7    
,any plans of the ,secretary to realign 
or change the number of ,regional       
,readiness ,centers4  #e4 ,improvements 
to the emergency cache program of       
,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,not  
later than #ahj days after the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
carry out the following3 7#a7 ,tracking 
system and minimum time frames          
,establish a tracking system and minimum
 time frames by which the ,emergency    

,pharmacy ,service initiates resupply   
orders to make sure emergency caches and
 emergency pharmacy vehicles are fully  
stocked with unexpired inventory4 ,such 
time frames shall account for-- 7,a7 any
 extension of the shelf life of         
inventory under the ,shelf ,life        
,extension ,program2 and  7,b7          
historical data of the ,department of   
,veterans ,affairs on the time it       
typically takes the ,department to      
reorder1 receive1 and restock emergency 
caches or emergency pharmacy vehicles1  
as the case may be4  7#b7               
,accountability mechanism ,create an    
accountability mechanism to ensure the  
,emergency ,pharmacy ,service and the   
,watch ,office are maintaining accurate 
and complete records of emergency cache 
activations4  7#c7 ,guidelines on       
authorized access ,provide guidelines   
for facilities of the ,department       
regarding which individuals are         
authorized to access the emergency      
caches4  7#d7 ,guidelines on            

responsibility for distribution ,provide
 guidelines for facilities of the       
,department regarding which individuals 
are responsible for distributing the    
contents of the emergency cache if      
activated4  7#e7 ,training ,provide all 
,department employees identified by the 
,secretary under paragraphs 7#c7 and    
7#d7 with a training that includes      
information on-- 7,a7 the contents of   
the emergency cache2  7,b7 circumstances
 for use of the emergency cache2  7,c7  
the actions the employee should take if 
they believe activation of the cache is 
warranted2 and  7,d7 procedures for     
distributing the contents of the cache4 
7#f7 ,oversight of ,veterans ,health    
,administration emergency caches        
,designate one program office of the    
,department to have primary             
responsibility for oversight of         
emergency caches of the ,veterans       
,health ,administration4  #f4 ,plan to  
allow fuel sharing and increased        
coordination between the ,federal       

,emergency ,management ,agency and the  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs ,not  
later than #ij days after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall1 
after consulting with the ,administrator
 of the ,federal ,emergency ,management 
,agency1 submit to the ,committee on    
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate1 the 
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives1 the        
,committee on ,homeland ,security and   
,government ,affairs of the ,senate1 and
 the ,committee on ,homeland ,security  
of the ,house of ,representatives a     
report regarding-- 7#a7 the current     
limitations preventing the ,federal     
,emergency ,management ,agency from     
providing fuel or other resources to the
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs      
during emergencies2  7#b7 whether the   
,department requires action by ,congress
 to allow such resource provision to    
occur2  7#c7 whether the ,secretary has 
been unable to coordinate with the      

,administrator during prior emergencies 
or ,fourth ,mission activations due to a
 lack of authority for such             
coordination2 and  7#d7 whether the     
,secretary requires action by ,congress 
to address any of the issues mentioned  
under paragraph 7#c74