IB 
Union Calendar No. 794 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 562 
[Report No. 118–945] 
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-MCCOR-
MICK, Mr. 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. JOHN-
SON of Louisiana, and Mr. JOYCE of Ohio) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
DECEMBER 24, 2024 
Additional sponsors: Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, 
Mr. HUDSON, Ms. SHERRILL, Mr. NUNN of Iowa, Mr. FALLON, Mr. 
SELF, Mr. OBERNOLTE, Mr. VAN ORDEN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. LALOTA, 
Mr. GOLDEN of Maine, Mr. CROW, Ms. SLOTKIN, Mr. NEGUSE, and Ms. 
CARAVEO 
DECEMBER 24, 2024 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 26, 2023] 
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A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit Mem-
bers of Congress to use facilities of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs for the purposes of meeting with 
constituents, and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Improving Veterans Ac-
cess to Congressional Services Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. USE OF FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Upon request of a Member of Con-
gress and subject to regulations prescribed under subsection 
(b), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall permit the Mem-
ber to use a facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(other than a facility of the National Cemetery Administra-
tion) for the purposes of meeting with veterans who are con-
stituents of the Member. The Secretary and the Adminis-
trator 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 Af-
fairs shall prescribe regulations regarding such use of a fa-
cility 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 sub-
section (a) is— 
(A) available during normal business hours; 
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(B) located in an area that is visible and 
accessible to veterans who are 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 facil-
ity; 
(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 regula-
tion), by prohibiting activities including— 
(A) campaigning in support of or opposi-
tion to any political office; 
(B) statements or actions that solicit, sup-
port, or oppose any change to Federal law or 
policy; 
(C) any activity that interferes with secu-
rity or normal operation of the facility; 
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(D) photographing or recording a veteran 
patient at such facility; 
(E) photographing or recording a patient, 
visitor to the facility, or employee of the Depart-
ment without the consent of such individual; and 
(F) photography or recording for the pur-
pose 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 facil-
ity 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 oper-
ations of the Department in such facility. 
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Union Calendar No. 794 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 562 
[Report No. 118–945] 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to per-
mit Members of Congress to use facilities of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs for the purposes 
of meeting with constituents, and for other pur-
poses. 
DECEMBER 24, 2024 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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