I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9996 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 

the laws relating to patient advocacy for patients who receive health 

care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 15, 2024 

Mr. YAKYM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 

improvements to the laws relating to patient advocacy 

for patients who receive health care furnished by the 

Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Veterans Ad5 vocate Act of 2024’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. INDEPENDENT OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL VET2 ERANS’ ADVOCATE IN DEPARTMENT OF VET3 ERANS AFFAIRS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7309A of title 38, United 

5 States Code, is amended— 

6 (1) by striking the section heading and insert7 ing the following new section heading: 

8 ‘‘§ 7309A. Office of the National Veterans’ Advocate’’; 

9 (2) in subsection (a)— 

10 (A) by striking ‘‘within the Office of the 

11 Under Secretary for Health’’ and inserting 

12 ‘‘within the Office of the Secretary’’; 

13 (B) by striking ‘‘an office’’ and inserting 

14 ‘‘an independent office’’; and 

15 (C) by striking ‘‘ ‘Office of Patient Advo16 cacy’ ’’ and inserting ‘‘ ‘Office of the National 

17 Veterans’ Advocate’ ’’; 

18 (3) in subsection (b)— 

19 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Office 

20 of Patient Advocacy’’ and inserting ‘‘Office of 

21 the National Veterans’ Advocate’’; and 

22 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

23 (i) by striking ‘‘Office of Patient Ad24 vocacy’’ and inserting ‘‘Office of the Na25 tional Veterans’ Advocate’’; 


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1 (ii) by striking ‘‘by the Under Sec2 retary for Health’’ and inserting ‘‘by the 

3 Secretary’’; and 

4 (iii) by striking ‘‘shall report directly 

5 to the Under Secretary for Health’’ and in6 serting ‘‘shall be independent of the Sec7 retary’’; 

8 (4) in subsection (c)— 

9 (A) by striking the subsection heading and 

10 inserting ‘‘(c) FUNCTIONS.—’’; 

11 (B) in paragraph (1)— 

12 (i) by striking ‘‘function’’ and insert13 ing ‘‘functions’’; 

14 (ii) by striking ‘‘is’’ and inserting 

15 ‘‘are’’; and 

16 (iii) by inserting before the period at 

17 the end the following: ‘‘and to monitor De18 partment processes and make rec19 ommendations to Congress on how to im20 prove the Department’s efficiency and care 

21 for veterans’’; and 

22 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

23 paragraphs: 

24 ‘‘(4) On a quarterly basis, the Director shall submit 

25 to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 


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1 House of Representatives independent legislative rec2 ommendations for the improvement of health outcomes for 

3 veterans, the quality of health care and benefits provided 

4 by the Department, and the cost efficiency of the Depart5 ment. Such recommendations may not be reviewed by the 

6 Secretary or by any other official of the Department prior 

7 to submission. 

8 ‘‘(5) The Office shall have a designated publicly ac9 cessible website that includes access to the information 

10 technology system required under paragraph (3).’’; 

11 (5) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub12 section (g); and 

13 (6) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol14 lowing new subsection (f): 

15 ‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

16 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

17 $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.’’. 

18 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

19 at the beginning of chapter 73 of such title is amended 

20 by striking the item relating to section 7309A and insert21 ing the following new item: 

‘‘7309A. Office of the National Veterans’ Advocate.’’. 

Æ 


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