II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2372 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2019 

Received 

AN ACT 

To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to 

conduct an assessment of all memoranda of understanding and memoranda of agreement between Under 

Secretary of Health and non-Department of Veterans 

Affairs entities relating to suicide prevention and mental 

health services. 


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HR 2372 RDS

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 ‘‘Veterans’ Care Quality 

5 Transparency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF MEMO7 RANDA OF UNDERSTANDING AND MEMO8 RANDA OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNDER 

9 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND NON-DEPART10 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ENTITIES RE11 LATING TO SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MEN12 TAL HEALTH SERVICES. 

13 (a) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 270 days after the 

14 date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

15 of the United States shall conduct an assessment of the 

16 effectiveness of all memoranda of understanding and 

17 memoranda of agreement entered into by the Under Sec18 retary of Veterans Affairs for Health and a non-Depart19 ment of Veterans Affairs entity relating to— 

20 (1) suicide prevention activities and outreach; 

21 and 

22 (2) the provision or coordination of mental 

23 health services during the 5-year period preceding 

24 the date of the enactment of this Act. 


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1 (b) CONTENTS OF ASSESSMENT.—The assessment 

2 required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment 

3 of— 

4 (1) the size of the catchment area of each such 

5 entity; 

6 (2) the staffing structures of such entities; 

7 (3) any accreditation or licensure any such enti8 ty has obtained in relation to the services the entity 

9 provides; 

10 (4) any variances in the subpopulations of vet11 erans served by such entities; 

12 (5) any limitations any such entity may face in 

13 carrying out its obligations under the memorandum 

14 of understanding or memorandum of agreement; 

15 (6) the extent to which the Under Secretary 

16 provides oversight and tracks outcomes of such enti17 ties; 

18 (7) any variations in the structure or require19 ments of the memoranda of understanding and 

20 memoranda of agreement; 

21 (8) a breakdown of the percentage of such enti22 ties that serve— 

23 (A) women veterans; 

24 (B) minority veterans; 

25 (C) veterans who are over the age of 55; 


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1 (D) veterans between the ages of 18 and 

2 34; 

3 (E) veterans who reside in United States 

4 insular areas; and 

5 (F) veterans’ families; and 

6 (9) any measures taken to ensure the secure ex7 change of data and information between such enti8 ties and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

9 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 270 days 

10 after the completion of the assessment under subsection 

11 (a), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Commit12 tees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Rep13 resentatives a report on the results of the assessment. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2019. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


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