Two provisions requested by U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) addressing call wait times and limb loss research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are included in the fiscal year (FY) military appropriations bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 15.
The House voted 400-15 to advance the bipartisan Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027, H.R. 8469, to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
“The FY27 MilCon/VA Appropriations bill approved by the House today upholds our commitments to our veterans as well as our active duty service members,” Rep. Calvert said on Friday. “By fully funding the healthcare and benefits programs our veterans rely on, we can ensure they get the resources they need. The bill also includes robust funding for military construction, enabling continued investment in the Indo-Pacific region.”
The congressman voted along with the House majority to pass H.R. 8469, which includes two of his provisions.
The first would express concern about the VA’s lack of consistent data on call wait times and call response times across its network, notably crisis and suicide lines, as well as standard customer service lines, according to a summary provided by Rep. Calvert’s staff.
Inconsistent tracking of call metrics may prevent the department from identifying delays or barriers to care, the summary says, so the bill would require the VA to compile a report evaluating its ability to measure and report call wait times and response performance across VA facilities, and provide recommendations to improve response times and ensure consistent tracking of call performance metrics.
The second provision supported by Rep. Calvert regards the VA’s current approach to care for veterans living with limb loss and those at risk of amputation.
If enacted, H.R. 8469 would encourage the VA to expand its efforts to reach all veteran amputees nationwide and to strengthen its current program by providing enhanced care coordination services.
The bill also would require the VA to compile a report on efforts to enhance care coordination, increase veteran participation in peer support programs, and address gaps in access to limb loss resources across the continuum of care, the summary says.