IB 
Union Calendar No. 160 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4673 
[Report No. 117–223] 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the automatic enroll-
ment of eligible veterans in patient enrollment system of Department 
of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 22, 2021 
Mr. TAKANO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
JANUARY 6, 2022 
Reported from the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs; committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be 
printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Jan 06, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H4673.RH
H4673
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the 
automatic enrollment of eligible veterans in patient en-
rollment system of Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
for other purposes. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Jan 06, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H4673.RH
H4673
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring Veterans’ 
Smooth Transition Act’’ or the ‘‘EVEST Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF ELIGIBLE VETERANS 
IN PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM OF DE-
PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1705 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall enroll each veteran de-
scribed in subsection (a) in the patient enrollment system 
under this section by not later than 60 days after receiving 
the information described in paragraph (3) with respect 
to the veteran. 
‘‘(2) Not later than 60 days after enrolling a veteran 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide to the 
veteran— 
‘‘(A) notice of the veteran’s enrollment; and 
‘‘(B) instructions for how the veteran may opt 
out of such enrollment, at the election of the vet-
eran. 
‘‘(3) The information described in this paragraph is 
the appropriate information concerning eligibility for en-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Jan 06, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4673.RH
H4673
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
rollment in the patient enrollment system under this sec-
tion, as provided by the Defense Manpower Data Center 
of the Department of Defense, or such successor entity 
of the Department.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—Subsection (d) of section 1705 
of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(a), shall apply to a veteran with respect to whom the Sec-
retary receives the information described in paragraph (3) 
of such subsection on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(c) ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATES OF ELIGIBILITY FOR 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PATIENT ENROLL-
MENT SYSTEM.—Not later than August 1, 2022, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that any veteran 
who is eligible for automatic enrollment in the patient en-
rollment system under subsection (d) of section 1705 of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), 
is able to access— 
(1) an electronic version of the certificate of eli-
gibility showing the veteran’s eligibility for such en-
rollment; and 
(2) an electronic mechanism by which the vet-
eran may opt out of such enrollment. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Jan 06, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4673.RH
H4673
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Jan 06, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4673.RH
H4673
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 160 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4673 
[Report No. 117–223] 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide 
for the automatic enrollment of eligible veterans 
in patient enrollment system of Department of 
Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
JANUARY 6, 2022 
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:56 Jan 06, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H4673.RH
H4673
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS