To provide that any reduction in the hours of operation of Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center emergency rooms may be implemented only after notice is provided to Congress and a period of 180 days has elapsed.

Prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from implementing a reduction in the hours of operation at any Department of Veterans Affairs emergency room until 180 days after notifying Congress of the proposed change, together with an explanation of the reasons therefor.

Requires that, if access to emergency care at a Department medical center is curtailed, the Secretary shall ensure than an alternative is available to veterans served by that center.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5260 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5260

 To provide that any reduction in the hours of operation of Department 
 of Veterans Affairs Medical Center emergency rooms may be implemented 
only after notice is provided to Congress and a period of 180 days has 
                                elapsed.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 2, 2006

Mr. Bradley of New Hampshire (for himself and Mr. Bass) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide that any reduction in the hours of operation of Department 
 of Veterans Affairs Medical Center emergency rooms may be implemented 
only after notice is provided to Congress and a period of 180 days has 
                                elapsed.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. HOURS OF OPERATION AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              CENTER EMERGENCY ROOMS.

    (a) Finding.--The Congress finds that the emergency rooms of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers play a critical role in 
providing immediate and lifesaving care to the Nation's population of 
veterans of service in the Armed Forces.
    (b) Notice-and-Wait Requirement.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may not implement a reduction in the hours of operation at an emergency 
room of any Department of Veterans Affairs medical center until--
            (1) the Secretary submits to Congress notice in writing of 
        the proposed change, together with an explanation of the 
        reasons for the change; and
            (2) a period of 180 days has passed after the date on which 
        the notice under paragraph (1) is submitted.
    (c) Requirement.--If following submission of notice under 
subsection (b), access to emergency care at any Department of Veterans 
Affairs medical center is curtailed, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall take such steps as necessary to ensure that an alternative is 
available to veterans served by that medical center so that such 
veterans continue to receive immediate access to quality care without 
creating a new financial burden.
                                 <all>