S 654
Advanced toward a vote
Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop or procure scheduling technology that lets its schedulers view community care providers' calendars and book appointments in real time, with the goal of shortening wait times.
Official title: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
Senate
Introduced
20-FEB-2025
Referred
20-FEB-2025
Approved by committee
30-JUL-2025
Reported
02-DEC-2025
On the calendar
02-DEC-2025
- Directs the VA to develop or procure systems that let its schedulers view participating providers' schedules and book appointments in real time, to the extent practicable
- Aims to reduce the days from a veteran's referral to a scheduled appointment, and the time schedulers take to book appointments
- Requires annual progress reports to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs through September 30, 2028
Covers an older version. The newest CRS summary describes the bill as of "Introduced in Senate" (20-FEB-2025); the text has changed since (Reported to Senate, 02-DEC-2025).
CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.gov- Veterans' Affairs Committee (Senate)
Armed Forces and National Security
■ 3 R
3 Republicans