I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2082 

To make certain improvements relating to the supply chain of the Department 

of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 19, 2021 

Mr. BOST (for himself, Mr. PAPPAS, and Mr. MANN) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in 

addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To make certain improvements relating to the supply chain 

of 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 ‘‘VA Supply Chain Re5 siliency Act’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 2082 IH

1 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SUPPLY 

2 CHAIN RESILIENCY. 

3 (a) REPORT ON CRITICAL ITEMS AND REQUIRE4 MENTS.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the en5 actment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

6 shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 

7 the Senate and House of Representatives a report con8 taining each of the following: 

9 (1) A description of the items and types of 

10 items the Secretary considers critical with respect 

11 to— 

12 (A) the ongoing response to the 

13 Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; and 

14 (B) future epidemic, pandemic, emergency, 

15 national emergency, or natural disaster sce16 narios. 

17 (2) The quantities of the items described in 

18 paragraph (1) that are available, as of the date of 

19 the enactment of this Act, in inventories, emergency 

20 caches, or other emergency inventories of the De21 partment of Veterans Affairs. 

22 (3) The anticipated quantities of the items de23 scribed in paragraph (1) that would be necessary 

24 under potential epidemic, pandemic, emergency, na25 tional emergency, or natural disaster scenarios the 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 2082 IH

1 Secretary determines to be relevant for planning 

2 purposes. 

3 (4) The assumptions and key planning factors 

4 used by the Secretary to identify the items, types of 

5 items, and necessary quantities of items for types of 

6 scenarios, as described in paragraphs (1) and (3). 

7 (b) PARTICIPATION IN WARSTOPPER PROGRAM.— 

8 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

9 of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Sec10 retary of Defense shall enter into an agreement to provide 

11 for the participation of the Department of Veterans Af12 fairs in the program known as the ‘‘Warstopper Program’’ 

13 of the Defense Logistics Agency, or any successor pro14 gram. Pursuant to such agreement, the Defense Logistics 

15 Agency shall— 

16 (1) ensure the maintenance and stability of the 

17 items that are identified as critical in the report re18 quired under subsection (a) and that the Secretary 

19 of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense de20 termine are appropriate for the Warstopper Pro21 gram; 

22 (2) establish guidance for the participation of 

23 the Department of Veterans Affairs in the 

24 Warstopper Program that includes an identification 

25 of the items and types of items that are critical to 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 2082 IH

1 the needs of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 

2 and 

3 (3) use existing contracts and agreements and 

4 enter into new contracts and agreements, as nec5 essary, with manufacturers and distributors to re6 serve the supply of such critical items rather than 

7 rely on holding physical inventories of such items. 

8 (c) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days 

10 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec11 retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Com12 mittees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 

13 House of Representatives a report on the implemen14 tation of this section. Such report shall contain each 

15 the following: 

16 (A) An implementation plan for the par17 ticipation of the Department of Veterans Af18 fairs in the Warstopper Program, including 

19 milestones and timelines for related administra20 tive, contracting, and readiness activities. 

21 (B) For each of the items and associated 

22 quantities identified in paragraphs (1) and (3) 

23 of subsection (a)— 

24 (i) the method by which the Secretary 

25 of Veterans Affairs plans to ensure the DeVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:27 May 18, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2082.IH H2082

pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 2082 IH

1 partment continues to have access to ade2 quate quantities of such items and types of 

3 items, including in the Warstopper Pro4 gram and in regional, physical inventories; 

5 and 

6 (ii) justifications for the method or 

7 methods identified under clause (i). 

8 (2) UPDATES TO REPORT.—The Secretary shall 

9 update the report required under paragraph (1) on 

10 an annual basis for each of the two years following 

11 the submission of the report under paragraph (1) 

12 and submit such updates to the Committees on Vet13 erans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep14 resentatives. 

15 (d) PROHIBITION ON EXCLUSIVE RELIANCE ON RE16 GIONAL INVENTORIES.—The Secretary of Veterans Af17 fairs shall ensure that the Department does not exclusively 

18 rely on holding regional, physical inventories of critical 

19 items in order to respond to greater than expected needs 

20 for such items during epidemic, pandemic, emergency, na21 tional emergency, or natural disaster situations. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS