I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION H. R. 10536 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a mission of the Veterans 
Health Administration to innovate, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 19, 2024 
Mr. MCGARVEY (for himself and Mr. LEVIN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a mission 
of the Veterans Health Administration to innovate, 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 ‘‘Innovation for VA 
Technology and Entrepreneurship Act’’ or the ‘‘INNO-
VATE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Department of Veterans Affairs offers 
critical health care services through the Veterans 
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Health Administration (in this section referred to as 
the ‘‘VHA’’), serving as the largest integrated health 
care system, largest medical training organization, 
and one of the largest employers of health care pro-
fessionals in the United States. 
(2) Despite its size, assets, and reach, the VHA 
struggles to engage with private sector entities, par-
ticularly early-stage businesses, due to bureaucratic 
hurdles. 
(3) If provided new authorities through legisla-
tion, the VHA is positioned to create a paradigm 
shift in health care, revitalizing the way it develops 
and innovates to improve clinical care and access to 
health care for veterans, and modeling trans-
formational health care to the private sector, ulti-
mately benefitting all Americans. 
(4) Establishing a fifth mission of the VHA to 
innovate will ingrain an innovative mindset across all 
VHA operations, enhance the existing missions and 
spearhead a new American way in health care, im-
proving health outcomes for veterans, the health of 
the Nation, and national security. 
(5) The Office of Innovation of the VHA will 
authorize, fund, and streamline processes, enhancing 
the VHA network of innovation programs and fos-
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tering collaboration and partnerships with industry, 
government, and academia. 
SEC. 3. INNOVATION IN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINIS-
TRATION. 
(a) MISSION.—Section 305(b) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Under Sec-
retary’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) The missions of the Veterans Health Adminis-
tration are the following: 
‘‘(A) Providing health care to eligible veterans. 
‘‘(B) Supporting research to benefit veterans 
and the Nation. 
‘‘(C) Providing education to health care pro-
viders in training. 
‘‘(D) Supporting emergency response. 
‘‘(E) Fostering innovation to advance health 
care technology and services for veterans and the 
Nation.’’. 
(b) OFFICE OF INNOVATION.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 73 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subchapter: 
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‘‘SUBCHAPTER VI—INNOVATION 
‘‘§ 7391. Office of Innovation 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is in the Veterans 
Health Administration an Office of Innovation (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘Office’). The Office shall be a Fed-
eral laboratory, as such term is defined in section 4 of 
the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 
(Public Law 96–480; 15 U.S.C. 3703). 
‘‘(b) FUNCTION.—The function of the Office is to fos-
ter innovation to advance health care and services for vet-
erans and the Nation by— 
‘‘(1) researching, developing, and implementing 
innovative technologies and services to deliver the 
best health care practicable to veterans; 
‘‘(2) assisting, funding, and partnering with 
non-Department entities that can rapidly accelerate 
the research, development, commercialization, and 
implementation of technologies and services de-
scribed in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(3) adopting a comprehensive approach that 
works across traditional silos to effectively and effi-
ciently— 
‘‘(A) use financial and human resources; 
and 
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‘‘(B) expedite the development, commer-
cialization, and deployment, of such tech-
nologies and solutions. 
‘‘(c) CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER.—The head of the 
Office is the Chief Innovation Officer. The Chief Innova-
tion Officer shall report directly to the Under Secretary 
for Health. 
‘‘(d) ORGANIZATION AND PERSONNEL.—The Office 
shall be organized in such manner, and its personnel shall 
perform such duties and have such titles, as the Secretary 
may prescribe pursuant to this subchapter. 
‘‘§ 7392. Hiring authorities 
‘‘(a) EXEMPTION FROM CIVIL SERVICE LAWS FOR 
CERTAIN EMPLOYEES.—(1) To carry out the function of 
the Office of Innovation, the Secretary may— 
‘‘(A) appoint not more than 250 professional, 
clinical, and other employees (which may include 
permanent, temporary, or term-limited appoint-
ments) of the Department, without regard to— 
‘‘(i) any provision of title 5 governing ap-
pointments and removals under the civil service 
laws; or 
‘‘(ii) any provision of chapter 7 of this 
title; and 
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