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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3653 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3653
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out efforts to
inform veterans of their rights with regards to the receipt of health
care, benefits, and services furnished under provisions of law
administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 15, 2026
Mrs. Blackburn (for herself, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Tillis, and Mr.
Tuberville) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out efforts to
inform veterans of their rights with regards to the receipt of health
care, benefits, and services furnished under provisions of law
administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Bill of Rights Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States has a solemn obligation, articulated
by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, ``to care for him who
shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his
orphan''.
(2) Veterans transitioning to civilian life from service in
the Armed Forces deserve timely access to health care,
benefits, and information, as well as respect, dignity, and
transparency in all interactions with the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
(3) The responsibilities of the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs require that veterans' rights be clearly codified to
ensure accountability and consistent nationwide administration
of benefits and services.
SEC. 3. VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out
efforts to inform veterans of their rights with regards to the receipt
of health care, benefits, and services furnished under provisions of
law administered by the Secretary.
(b) Elements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall
ensure that veterans are aware of their rights with respect to the
following:
(1) Access to va or va-authorized providers.--Veterans have
the right to receive health care from the Department of
Veterans Affairs or, when eligible under Federal law, from
community providers authorized by the Department.
(2) Respect and dignity.--The right to be treated with
courtesy, respect, and dignity in all interactions with
personnel of the Department.
(3) Informed consent.--The right to receive clear, complete
information about treatment options and to provide informed
consent for care furnished under laws administered by the
Secretary.
(4) Awareness of benefits.--The right to receive
comprehensive, understandable information about benefits,
programs, and services for which the veteran may be eligible or
entitled under laws administered by the Secretary.
(5) Access to benefits.--The right to apply for benefits
furnished under provisions of law administered by the Secretary
at any time and to receive clear explanations from the
Department regarding eligibility determinations concerning such
benefits.
(6) Health care without retaliation.--The right to seek
care or raise concerns without fear of stigma, retaliation, or
adverse action from the Department.
(7) Privacy.--The right to the protection of personal
information and medical records consistent with provisions of
Federal law relating to privacy, protection of personal
information, and medical records.
(8) Right to grievance redress.--The right to file
complaints concerning services furnished by the Department and
to receive timely, thorough investigation and resolution of
those complaints.
(9) Transparent communication.--The right to clear written
notification from the Department regarding the status of
claims, benefits, and appeals filed with the Department.
(10) Appeal and fair hearing.--The right to appeal adverse
decisions of the Secretary and to receive fair hearings from
the Department within a reasonable time.
(c) Responsibilities.--The Secretary shall--
(1) integrate the rights described in subsection (b) into
all Department of Veterans Affairs policies, directives,
patient-facing materials, and employee training programs;
(2) ensure every employee of the Department receives annual
training on such rights;
(3) prominently display such rights at all Department
facilities and the website of the Department;
(4) in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the
Secretary of Labor, include a dedicated instruction module on
the rights described in subsection (b) as part of the
curriculum for the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) under
section 1144 of title 10, United States Code;
(5) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, ensure that the rights described in subsection (b)
are accessible through a prominent, dedicated feature within
the official mobile application of the Department of Veterans
Affairs and the eBenefits portal (or any successor personal
benefits portal);
(6) require each Department medical facility to designate a
patient advocate or ombudsman to conduct an annual internal
audit to assess facility compliance with the rights described
in subsection (b), including a review of veteran satisfaction
surveys and the timeliness of grievance resolutions; and
(7) ensure that any written or electronic acknowledgment of
a claim for benefits or an application for health care services
includes a summary statement of the rights described in
subsection (b), emphasizing the veteran's right to transparent
communication and grievance redress.
(d) Rule of Construction.--The provisions of this section shall not
be construed--
(1) to create a cause of action for damages or judicially
enforceable rights beyond those already established under
Federal law; or
(2) to alter statutory eligibility requirements for care or
benefits furnished under laws administered by the Secretary.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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