Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2023

Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:  <p><strong>Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2023</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to permit a Member of Congress (upon request) to use a VA facility to meet with constituents. The VA and the General Services Administration must jointly identify available spaces in VA facilities for such purposes.</p> <p>The VA must prescribe regulations regarding such use of a VA facility by a Member of Congress.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 562 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 562

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit Members of 
 Congress to use facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
   the purposes of meeting with constituents, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 26, 2023

 Mr. Mast (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Tony Gonzales of 
Texas, Mr. Baird, Mrs. Kim of California, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. 
 C. Scott Franklin of Florida, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, Mr. Dunn of Florida, 
  Ms. Van Duyne, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Flood, Mr. Higgins of 
 Louisiana, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, and 
Mr. Joyce of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit Members of 
 Congress to use facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
   the purposes of meeting with constituents, 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 ``Improving Veterans Access to 
Congressional Services Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. USE OF FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BY 
              MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

    (a) In General.--Upon request of a Member of Congress and subject 
to regulations prescribed under subsection (b), the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall permit the Member to use a facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs for the purposes of meeting with 
constituents of the Member. The Secretary and the Administrator of 
General Services shall jointly identify available spaces in facilities 
of the Department for such purposes.
    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
prescribe regulations regarding such use of a facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs by Members of Congress. Regulations 
prescribed under this subsection--
            (1) shall require that a space within a facility of the 
        Department provided to a Member under subsection (a) is--
                    (A) available during normal business hours;
                    (B) located in an area that is visible and 
                accessible to constituents of the Member; and
                    (C) subject to a rate of rent (payable from the 
                Member's Representational Allowance or the Senator's 
                Official Personnel and Office Expense Account, as the 
                case may be) that is similar to the rate charged by the 
                Administrator of General Services for office space in 
                the area of the facility;
            (2) may not prohibit a Member from advertising the use by 
        the Member of a space within a facility of the Department under 
        subsection (a);
            (3) shall comply with sections 7321 through 7326 of title 
        5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Hatch 
        Act'') and section 1.218(a)(14) of title 38, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (or successor regulation), by prohibiting 
        activities including--
                    (A) campaigning in support of or opposition to any 
                political office;
                    (B) statements or actions that solicit, support, or 
                oppose any change to Federal law or policy;
                    (C) any activity that interferes with security or 
                normal operation of the facility;
                    (D) photographing or recording a veteran patient at 
                such facility;
                    (E) photographing or recording a patient, visitor 
                to the facility, or employee of the Department without 
                the consent of such individual; and
                    (F) photography or recording for the purpose of 
                political campaign materials;
            (4) may not permit a Member of Congress to use such a 
        facility during the 60-day period preceding an election for 
        Federal office in the jurisdiction in which such facility is 
        located; and
            (5) may not unreasonably restrict use of a facility of the 
        Department by a Member under subsection (a) if--
                    (A) there is space in such facility not in regular 
                use by personnel of the Department; and
                    (B) use of such space shall not impede operations 
                of the Department in such facility.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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