I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1509 
To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
to post at certain locations the average national wait times for veterans 
to receive an appointment for health care at medical facilities of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 10, 2017 
Mr. O’ROURKE (for himself, Mr. JONES, and Mr. KNIGHT) introduced the fol-
lowing 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 con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to post at certain locations the average 
national wait times for veterans to receive an appoint-
ment for health care at medical facilities of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Better Informing Vet-
erans’ Healthcare Decisions Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. POSTING OF AVERAGE NATIONAL WAIT TIMES FOR 
HEALTH CARE APPOINTMENTS AND AVER-
AGE PROCESSING TIMES OF DISABILITY COM-
PENSATION CLAIMS AND APPEALS. 
(a) FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.— 
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(A) According to the Suicide Data Report, 
2012, of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
22 veterans commit suicide every day. 
(B) According to estimates of the Depart-
ment, only approximately five of these 22 vet-
erans are enrolled in the mental health care 
system of the Department. 
(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that— 
(A) the Department of Veterans Affairs 
must be more urgent and effective in its ap-
proach to addressing veteran suicide and pro-
viding veterans access to mental health care; 
and 
(B) Congress urges the Department to en-
sure that preventing veteran suicide and pro-
viding veterans access to mental health care is 
the top reform priority of the Department. 
(b) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—Not later than 30 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and on 
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a monthly basis thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall— 
(1) determine, with respect to the one-year pe-
riod before the date of the determination— 
(A) the average national wait times (in 
days) for a veteran enrolled in the health care 
system established under section 1705(a) of 
title 38, United States Code— 
(i) to receive an appointment for men-
tal health care at a medical facility of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
(ii) to receive an appointment for pri-
mary health care at such a facility; 
(B) the average claims processing time of 
the Secretary with respect to claims for dis-
ability compensation under chapter 11 of such 
title 38; and 
(C) the average appeals processing time of 
the Secretary to decide an appeal to such a 
claim for disability compensation; and 
(2) provide the Secretary of Defense with such 
information determined under paragraph (1). 
(c) POSTING OF INFORMATION.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall place in a conspicuous location at each ca-
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reer counselor or career assistance advisor office a sign 
that— 
(1) is not less than 18 inches tall by 24 inches 
wide; and 
(2) is continuously updated to display the most 
current information received by the Secretary pursu-
ant to subsection (b)(2). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘appeals processing time’’ means, 
with respect to a veteran filing an appeal to a deci-
sion of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs denying a 
claim for disability compensation under chapter 11 
of title 38, United States Code, the period beginning 
on the date on which the claimant files a notice of 
disagreement and ending on the date on which the 
claimant is informed of the decision to such notice 
of disagreement. 
(2) The term ‘‘claims processing time’’ means, 
with respect to a veteran filing a claim for disability 
compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United 
States Code, the period beginning on the date on 
which the claim is originally received by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs and ending on the date on 
which the Secretary informs the claimant of the de-
cision. 
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(3) The term ‘‘wait time’’ means, with respect 
to a veteran receiving an appointment for health 
care at a medical facility of the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs, the period beginning on the date on 
which the veteran first requests such appointment 
and ending on the date on which such appointment 
occurs. 
Æ 
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