S. 3466 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Dec 11, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryStrengthens VA care scheduling and staffing
This bill sets requirements for how quickly the Veterans Affairs Department schedules care appointments and requires them to share information about wait times and travel distances. It also creates new rules for doctors and hospitals outside the VA who treat veterans, including requirements for veterans-specific training and a longer window to submit billing claims. The bill adds support for VA staff through higher pay flexibility for critical health care jobs, new retirement benefits for VA police, and scholarship programs to attract workers.
How it affects you
Veterans will see clearer timelines for getting appointments and better information about how long they might wait at different VA locations or with outside providers. If you receive care through an outside provider as part of the VA program and are disabled or die due to that care, you or your family could receive compensation. VA employees in critical health care roles and police officers will have access to new benefits and pay flexibility designed to help the department recruit and keep staff.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Dec 11, 2025)
Honor Our Promise to Veterans Act of 2025
This bill addresses the provision of care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including regarding scheduling, non-VA provider requirements, staffing, and infrastructure.
Regarding scheduling, the VA must (1) ensure appointments for urgent and nonurgent care for veterans are scheduled within certain time frames, and (2) provide information about driving and wait times for care at VA facilities, Veteran Community Care Program (VCCP) facilities, and via telehealth.
The bill also addresses requirements for non-VA providers under the VCCP, including by (1) extending the time limit for providers to submit claims to the VA for payment, (2) requiring certain training relevant to veterans, and (3) authorizing the Office of Inspector General of the VA to audit entities providing care under the VA’s authority.
The bill provides compensation for veterans who are disabled or die due to VCCP hospital care, medical services, or extended care services.
The bill addresses VA staffing matters, including by (1) removing the cap on pay limitation waivers for critical health care personnel, (2) offering certain retirement benefits to VA police officers, (3) requiring the VA to establish a telework policy, and (4) establishing scholarship programs for certain individuals in medical or infrastructure programs who commit to a period of obligated service at the VA.
The VA must also address infrastructure matters, including by (1) authorizing funding for certain land acquisitions for medical facilities, and (2) requiring the VA to develop performance metrics for capital asset management programs.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 3466
A BILL
Honor Our Promise to Veterans Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) · Introduced Dec 11, 2025 · Armed Forces and National Security · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Dec 11, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.”
Sections
Title I — Improvements to care · Subtitle A — Scheduling · 3
- Sec. 101Timing for scheduling of appointmentsNo change
- Sec. 102Consideration of telehealth in determining whether an appointment can be scheduled within the access standards of the Department of Veterans Affairs and limitation on availability of telehealth through community careNo change
- Sec. 103Information for veterans regarding access to careNo change
Title I — Improvements to care · Subtitle B — Provider requirements · 10
- Sec. 111Extension of period for submittal of claims by health care entities and providersNo change
- Sec. 112Rating program relating to military sexual trauma for providers under Veterans Community Care Program of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 113Requirements relating to quality of community care providersNo change
- Sec. 114Community care provider training requirementsNo change
- Sec. 115Waivers for network adequacyNo change
- Sec. 116Contracting requirementsNo change
- Sec. 117Inspector General oversight authority over community careNo change
- Sec. 118Requirement that health care providers under Veterans Community Care Program provide certain dataNo change
- Sec. 119Full practice authority for certain positions within Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 119ATreatment of psychologistsNo change
Title I — Improvements to care · Subtitle C — Reports and related matters · 6
- Sec. 121Information on lessons learned to improve contracting for community careNo change
- Sec. 122Analysis of impact of spending under Veterans Community Care Program on budgets of medical centers and Veterans Integrated Service Networks of the Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 123Study on recovery of revenue from private health insurersNo change
- Sec. 124Matters relating to emergency careNo change
- Sec. 125Review of dialysis care furnished by Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 126Benefits for persons disabled by treatment under Veterans Community Care Program of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
Title II — Staffing matters · Subtitle A — Salaries · 3
Title II — Staffing matters · Subtitle B — Recruitment and retention · 6
- Sec. 211Inclusion of police officers of Department of Veterans Affairs as law enforcement officersNo change
- Sec. 212Mentorship program for executive leadership teams at medical centers of the Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 213Requirement for equivalent role postings for vacant positions at Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 214Hiring processesNo change
- Sec. 215Staffing modelsNo change
- Sec. 216Telework policyNo change
Title II — Staffing matters · Subtitle C — Education · 4
- Sec. 221Establishment of Start and Stay at VA ProgramNo change
- Sec. 222Building and maintenance professionals educational assistance programNo change
- Sec. 223Expansion of reimbursement of continuing professional education expensesNo change
- Sec. 224Payment of licensure exam costs for recipients of scholarships from Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
Title II — Staffing matters · Subtitle D — Reports · 3
Title III — Infrastructure matters · 1
Title III — Infrastructure matters · Subtitle A — Investing in Department of Veterans infrastructure to increase capacity to serve veterans · 6
- Sec. 311Authorization of funding for certain land acquisitions for medical facilities of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 312Detachment of congressional committee approval requests of major medical facility leases from annual budget submission of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 313Improvement of capital asset staffing of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 314Development of performance metrics of capital asset management by Department of Veterans Affairs and monitoring for improvementNo change
- Sec. 315Expansion of membership of the Capital Asset Planning CommitteeNo change
- Sec. 316Authorization of appropriationsNo change
Title III — Infrastructure matters · Subtitle B — Reviews and reports · 8
- Sec. 321Review of resilience of facilities, land, and other relevant capital assets of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 322Reports on key capital asset investments, activities, and performance of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 323Report on long-term care physical infrastructure needs of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 324Report on women veterans retrofit initiativeNo change
- Sec. 325Report on capital asset and information technology needs of the research and development program of Department of Veterans AffairsNo change
- Sec. 326Review and report on provisions of law relating to Department of Veterans Affairs capital asset management and oversightNo change
- Sec. 327Improving prevention, detection, and reporting of waste, fraud, and abuse in Department of Veterans Affairs capital asset projects and activitiesNo change
- Sec. 328Comptroller General report on continued need for non-Department of Veterans Affairs project management for super construction projectsNo change