VSAFE Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/hr/1663
Last Updated: July 12, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

ID: C000059

Follow the money

The bill

VSAFE Act of 2025

HR. 1663, 119th Congress — read as touching Private Prisons & Immigration Detention.

The sponsor

Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$85,240 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Veterans Affairs" section, p. 688-691 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

January 25, 2026

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. The VSAFE Act of 2025 - because what's a more compelling title than one that screams "we care about veterans, sort of"?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's primary objective is to create a new position within the Department of Veterans Affairs: the Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer. This officer will supposedly be responsible for preventing and responding to scams targeting veterans. Wow, what a novel idea - creating a whole new bureaucracy to tackle a problem that's been around since the dawn of time.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill establishes the VSAFE Act's eponymous officer, who will:

* Develop plans for fraud prevention and response * Provide guidance on identifying and reporting scams * Promote the VSAFE Fraud Hotline and website (because what veteran doesn't love a good hotline?) * Coordinate with other agencies to improve whole-of-government efforts (read: more meetings, more reports, more bureaucratic red tape) * Consult with veterans service organizations and state governments (because who better to advise on scams than those who've been scammed?)

Oh, and let's not forget the pièce de résistance - a clerical amendment that adds a new section to the table of contents. I bet the authors spent hours agonizing over that one.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors will supposedly benefit from this bill. But let's be real, they're just pawns in a game of bureaucratic chess. The real beneficiaries are the politicians who get to tout this "pro-veteran" legislation during election season.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The VSAFE Act is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It won't address the root causes of scams targeting veterans, but rather create another layer of bureaucratic complexity. The officer's responsibilities are vague and open-ended, ensuring that this new position will become a dumping ground for every scam-related issue under the sun.

In short, this bill is a masterclass in legislative obfuscation - creating a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, while ignoring the real issues plaguing our veterans. Bravo, Congress! You've managed to create a whole new level of bureaucratic inefficiency. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than watch this farce unfold.

Diagnosis: Legislative Theater-itis - a chronic condition characterized by grandstanding, empty promises, and a complete disregard for the well-being of those affected. Prognosis: more of the same.

Related Topics

Military & Veterans Affairs
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$85,240
18 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$82,200
Committees
$0
Individuals
$0

No PAC contributions found

1
TWENTY-NINE PALMS BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
2
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
3
PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
4
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
5
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
2 transactions
$6,600
6
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
2 transactions
$6,600
7
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
8
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
9
CHEROKEE NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
10
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
11
CATAWBA INDIAN NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
12
THE CHICKASAW NATION OF INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
13
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
14
MOORETOWN RANCHERIA
1 transaction
$3,300
15
OSAGE NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
16
SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
17
SHINGLE SPRINGS BAND MIWOK INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,000

No committee contributions found

No individual contributions found

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 10 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12]

ID: B001295

Top Contributors

10

1
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationMARICOPA, AZ
$3,300
Feb 21, 2024
2
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationMARICOPA, AZ
$3,300
Aug 14, 2024
3
MIAMI TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationMIAMI, OK
$2,000
Aug 14, 2024
4
CAMPBELL FARMS
OrganizationCARMI, IL
$1,500
Sep 19, 2023
5
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$1,000
Jun 25, 2024
6
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$500
Jun 25, 2024
7
WAITE, TOMB & EBERLY LLP
OrganizationTROY, OH
$500
Apr 1, 2024
8
EMMET, RICHARD
NONE • RETIRED
IndividualLARCHMONT, NY
$6,600
Nov 21, 2023
9
GILLIAM, RICHARD
CUMBERLAND DEVELOPMENT • MANAGER
IndividualCHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
$6,600
Nov 21, 2023
10
SCHWAB, CHARLES
CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION • CHAIRMAN
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$6,600
Dec 19, 2023

Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4]

ID: C001053

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$52,900
Dec 8, 2023
2
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$46,300
Oct 21, 2024
3
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$25,000
Oct 21, 2024
4
SAGINAW CHIPPEWA INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationMT PLEASANT, MI
$5,000
Dec 26, 2024
5
PECHANGA BAND OF INDIANS
OrganizationTEMECULA, CA
$5,000
May 13, 2024
6
PECHANGA BAND OF INDIANS
OrganizationTEMECULA, CA
$3,300
May 13, 2024
7
ISBELL FARMS
OrganizationMUSCLE SHOALS, AL
$1,500
Sep 30, 2024
8
KANADY, MICHAEL C
ECHO • FOUNDER
IndividualNICHOLS HILLS, OK
$100,000
May 6, 2024
9
SPITZER, TERRY
GLOBAL TECHNICAL SYSTEMS • CEO
IndividualVIRGINIA BEACH, VA
$30,000
Jun 6, 2024
10
PEROT, ROSS MR. JR
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$13,200
Jun 3, 2024

Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]

ID: V000129

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
2
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
3
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$3,300
Dec 20, 2023
4
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationMARICOPA, AZ
$3,300
Mar 31, 2023
5
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$3,300
Feb 28, 2024
6
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$3,300
Feb 28, 2024
7
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$3,300
May 25, 2023
8
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$3,300
Jun 29, 2024
9
MOORETOWN RANCHERIA
OrganizationOROVILLE, CA
$3,300
Sep 26, 2024
10
PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS
OrganizationTEMECULA, CA
$3,300
Aug 16, 2024

Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

ID: L000599

Top Contributors

10

1
MURTAGH, COSSU, VENDITTI & CASTRO-BLANCO, LLP
OrganizationWHITE PLAINS, NY
$1,000
Feb 24, 2024
2
BATMASIAN, JAMES
INVESTMENTS LIMITED • OWNER
IndividualBOCA RATON, FL
$6,600
Sep 27, 2023
3
BATMASIAN, JAMES
IndividualBOCA RATON, FL
$6,600
Sep 29, 2023
4
AUSTIN, ROBERT
UNAKA CO., INC. • BUSINESSMAN
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$6,600
Jul 18, 2024
5
SILVERMAN, JEFFREY
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualSURFSIDE, FL
$6,534
Feb 15, 2024
6
SILVERMAN, JEFFREY
IndividualSURFSIDE, FL
$6,534
Feb 22, 2024
7
SCALA, MARY ELLEN
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualPORT CHESTER, NY
$5,300
Aug 27, 2023
8
DEUTSCH, SHMULEY
SELF • PRESIDENT
IndividualSPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,900
Jun 24, 2024
9
DEUTSCH, SHMULEY
IndividualSPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,900
Jun 25, 2024
10
PERLMUTTER, RAFUEL
GOLDEN TASTE • CEO
IndividualSPRING VALLEY, NY
$3,400
Jun 24, 2024

Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1]

ID: W000804

Top Contributors

10

1
THE CHICKASAW NATION
PACADA, OK
$3,300
Jun 17, 2024
2
THE CHICKASAW NATION
PACADA, OK
$3,300
Sep 30, 2024
3
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$3,300
Dec 14, 2023
4
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Feb 8, 2024
5
KEHOE, MICHAEL PATRICK
IndividualRICHMOND, VA
$13,200
Jun 2, 2023
6
GIFFORD, BILLY
ALTRIA GROUP INC. • CEO
IndividualMIDLOTHIAN, VA
$6,600
Sep 26, 2023
7
PAYNE, DANIEL E.
PAYNE INC • CEO
IndividualFREDERICKSBURG, VA
$6,600
Nov 29, 2023
8
CASEY, ARTHUR S.
CASEY AUTO GROUP • PRESIDENT
IndividualNEWPORT NEWS, VA
$6,600
Mar 29, 2023
9
PAYNE, DANIEL E.
PAYNE INC • CEO
IndividualFREDERICKSBURG, VA
$6,600
Nov 29, 2023
10
KANTNER, CHRIS
UKROP'S FOOD GROUP • PRESIDENT
IndividualRICHMOND, VA
$6,600
Jan 12, 2024

Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6]

ID: C001133

Top Contributors

10

1
SALT RIVER PIMA MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY
PACSCOTTSDALE, AZ
$1,000
Jun 14, 2024
2
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$3,300
Oct 31, 2024
3
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
4
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Jun 30, 2024
5
DELTA AIRLINES
OrganizationATLANTA, GA
$2,500
Jul 30, 2024
6
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$2,000
Oct 8, 2024
7
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$1,834
Jun 30, 2024
8
MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
OrganizationCHOCTAW, MS
$1,000
Nov 5, 2024
9
COLORADO RIVER INDIAN TRIBES
OrganizationPARKER, AZ
$1,000
Jun 30, 2023
10
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$1,000
Jun 30, 2023

Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]

ID: S001196

Top Contributors

10

1
MAGGIE'S LIST- EAMARKS
PACTAMPA, FL
$50
Oct 23, 2024
2
ONEIDA INDIAN NATION
OrganizationONEIDA, NY
$6,600
Mar 29, 2023
3
ONEIDA INDIAN NATION
OrganizationONEIDA, NY
$3,300
Mar 31, 2023
4
SAN MANUAL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLOS ANGELES, CA
$2,000
Dec 31, 2023
5
FISHER, CYNTHIA A. MS.
PATIENTRIGHTSADVOCATE.ORG • FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$6,600
Oct 10, 2023
6
BERK, MICHAEL
TA ASSOCIATES • INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
IndividualWEST NEWTON, MA
$6,600
Dec 27, 2023
7
CUTLER, ROBERT
C3 • CEO
IndividualLEAWOOD, KS
$6,600
Dec 27, 2023
8
DAVIS, ANN L.
N/A • HOMEMAKER
IndividualATLANTA, GA
$6,600
Dec 30, 2023
9
KRAFT, DANIEL
THE KRAFT GROUP • INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT
IndividualFOXBORO, MA
$6,600
Dec 31, 2023
10
FITZPATRICK, MARY
NONE • COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER
IndividualOSPREY, FL
$6,600
Sep 21, 2023

Rep. Barrett, Tom [R-MI-7]

ID: B001321

Top Contributors

10

1
MICHIGAN AGGREGATES ASSOCIATION PAC
OrganizationOKEMOS, MI
$300
Feb 27, 2024
2
DEMKOWICZ, BRIAN MR.
HURON CAPITAL • INVESTOR
IndividualGROSSE POINTE, MI
$13,200
Jan 8, 2024
3
STADLER, BRIAN
WOLGAST CORPORATION • MANAGER
IndividualSAGINAW, MI
$6,870
Sep 28, 2023
4
UIHLEIN, RICHARD
ULINE • CHAIRMAN
IndividualLAKE FOREST, IL
$6,870
Sep 26, 2023
5
COURTNEY, JOHN
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualOKEMOS, MI
$6,870
Dec 8, 2023
6
BAKER, JEFFREY
MUSKEGON CAR CREDIT • EXECUTIVE
IndividualGRAND RAPIDS, MI
$6,600
Jul 25, 2023
7
BANCROFT, NICHOLAS
AGROLIQUID • CEO
IndividualSAINT JOHNS, MI
$6,600
Sep 19, 2023
8
HAWORTH, MATTHEW
HAWORTH, INC. • CHAIRMAN
IndividualHOLLAND, MI
$6,600
Sep 18, 2023
9
HAWORTH, RICHARD
HAWORTH, INC. • CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
IndividualSAUGATUCK, MI
$6,600
Sep 18, 2023
10
O'NEIL, WILLIAM
W J O'NEIL COMPANY • EXECUTIVE
IndividualCOMMERCE TOWNSHIP, MI
$6,600
Sep 11, 2023

Rep. Diaz-Balart, Mario [R-FL-26]

ID: D000600

Top Contributors

10

1
THE CHICKASAW NATION
PACADA, OK
$1,000
Jun 12, 2023
2
MOORE, WILLIAM H
ELEANOR CROOK FOUNDATION • PRESIDENT
IndividualRALEIGH, NC
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
3
ROCKEFELLER, LISENNE
WINROCK INTERNATIONAL • PRESIDENT AND CHAIR
IndividualLITTLE ROCK, AR
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
4
FAISON, JAY W
CLEARPATH • FOUNDER
IndividualCHARLOTTE, NC
$3,300
Dec 31, 2023
5
GEZARI, WALTER
STIDD SYSTEMS, INC • CEO
IndividualCALVERTON, NY
$3,300
Nov 9, 2023
6
BRODIE, HOWARD
BRODIE GENERAL CAPITAL PARTNERS • ATTORNEY
IndividualHAVERFORD, PA
$3,300
Nov 16, 2023
7
FAISON, JAY W
CLEARPATH • FOUNDER
IndividualCHARLOTTE, NC
$3,300
Dec 31, 2023
8
GLENN, HARRY
VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES • VICE PRESIDENT
IndividualCLEARWATER, FL
$3,300
Dec 11, 2023
9
PEISACH, JAIME
PASSION GROWERS LLC • MANAGER
IndividualMIAMI, FL
$3,300
Nov 8, 2023
10
STERLING, MONA
GOLDEN LIONESS • OWNER
IndividualJERICHO, NY
$3,300
Dec 28, 2023

Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]

ID: T000478

Top Contributors

10

1
WINRED EARMARKS
PACARLINGTON, VA
$27,879
Oct 22, 2024
2
WINRED EARMARKS
PACARLINGTON, VA
$21,566
Oct 29, 2024
3
WINRED EARMARKS
PACARLINGTON, VA
$10,970
Nov 25, 2024
4
WINRED EARMARKS
PACARLINGTON, VA
$5,493
Nov 19, 2024
5
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLOS ANGELES, CA
$2,000
Nov 5, 2024
6
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$2,000
Jun 18, 2024
7
SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA
$2,000
Jun 18, 2024
8
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$1,000
Mar 31, 2023
9
TEXTOR, DONALD
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualLOCUST VALLEY, NY
$13,200
Apr 17, 2024
10
WINE, SCOTT
POLARIS • CEO
IndividualEXCELSIOR, MN
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 71 nodes and 45 connections (88 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $252,040

Top Donors - Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

Showing top 18 donors by contribution amount

17 Orgs1 Committee

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped, 2 harmed.

  • Section 2(b)(6) mentions coordination with the Department of Justice, which could lead to increased scrutiny and enforcement against private prisons, potentially harming their business.

  • +Cybersecurityconfidence 0.70

    Section 2(b)(4) mentions developing methods to monitor fraud and scam metrics, which could involve contracting with cybersecurity firms to enhance the Department's defenses, potentially benefiting the industry.

  • −Big Tech Platformsconfidence 0.50

    The bill's emphasis on fraud prevention and reporting (Section 2) might lead to increased pressure on big tech platforms to take responsibility for scam activities on their sites, potentially increasing their regulatory burdens or costs.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

  • from 3 contributions
    • BYRD, BRUCE$1,500
    • KOVAC, STEPHEN$1,000
    • KROESE, DANIEL$500

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Strong
Vector: 63%
Pages: 688-691AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The VSAFE Act directly creates a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer within the VA to prevent, report, and respond to scams targeting veterans, which aligns with Project 2025's likely focus on strengthening VA accountability and protecting veterans from fraud and abuse."

Key themes:veteran protectionfraud preventionVA coordinationscam mitigationidentity theft resources

— 655 — Department of Veterans Affairs ENDNOTES 1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Division, VHA Directive 1003, “VHA Veteran Patient Experience,” April 14, 2020, pp. 1 and B-1. 2. S. 2372, VA Mission Act of 2018, Public Law No. 115-182, 115th Congress, June 6, 2018, https://www.congress. gov/115/plaws/publ182/PLAW-115publ182.pdf (accessed January 30, 2023). 3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA History Office, “VA History,” last updated May 27, 2021, https://www. va.gov/HISTORY/VA_History/Overview.asp (accessed January 28, 2023). 4. 38 U.S. Code § 1116, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38/1116 (accessed January 28, 2023). 5. S. 3373, Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022), Public Law No. 117-168, 117th Congress, August 10, 2022, https://www. congress.gov/117/plaws/publ168/PLAW-117publ168.pdf (accessed January 28, 2023). 6. H.R. 2471, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Public Law No. 117-103, 117th Congress, March 15, 2022, Division S, Title I, https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ103/PLAW-117publ103.pdf (accessed March 18, 2023). Known variously as the Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse and Physician Assistant Retention and Income Security Enhancement Act and the VA Nurse and Physician Assistant RAISE Act. 7. See note 5, supra. — 657 — Section Four THE ECONOMY The next Administration must prioritize the economic prosperity of ordi- nary Americans. For several decades, establishment “elites” have failed the citizenry by refusing to secure the border, outsourcing manufacturing to China and elsewhere, spending recklessly, regulating constantly, and generally controlling the country from the top down rather than letting it flourish from the bottom up. The proper role of government, as was articulated nearly 250 years ago, is to secure our God-given, unalienable rights in order that we might enjoy the pursuit of happiness, the benefits of free enterprise, and the blessings of liberty. Finding the right approach to trade policy is key to the fortunes of everyday Americans. In Chapter 26, president of the Competitive Enterprise Institute Kent Lassman and former White House director of trade and manufacturing policy Peter Navarro debate what an effective conservative trade policy would look like. Lass- man argues that the best trade policy is a humble, limited-government approach that would encourage free trade with all nations. He maintains that aggressive trade policies involve an increased government role that future leftist Administra- tions will utilize to push “climate change” and “equity”-based activism. Focusing more on gross domestic product (GDP) growth than on median income, he writes that “people mistakenly believe that U.S. manufacturing and the U.S. economy are in decline” when in truth “American manufacturing output is currently at an all-time high.” Meanwhile, we continue to experience “record-setting real GDP” despite our “long-run decline in manufacturing employment.” Lassman does not think that an aggressive U.S. trade policy would lead to more manufacturing jobs. Rather, he writes, “Federal Reserve research shows” that the

Department of Veterans Affairs

Strong
Vector: 63%
Pages: 688-691AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The VSAFE Act’s creation of a dedicated fraud prevention officer within the VA directly supports Project 2025’s objective of strengthening veteran protections and improving VA accountability by targeting scams that exploit veterans’ benefits and personal information."

Key themes:veteran protectionfraud preventionVA coordinationscam mitigationbenefit security

— 655 — Department of Veterans Affairs ENDNOTES 1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Division, VHA Directive 1003, “VHA Veteran Patient Experience,” April 14, 2020, pp. 1 and B-1. 2. S. 2372, VA Mission Act of 2018, Public Law No. 115-182, 115th Congress, June 6, 2018, https://www.congress. gov/115/plaws/publ182/PLAW-115publ182.pdf (accessed January 30, 2023). 3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA History Office, “VA History,” last updated May 27, 2021, https://www. va.gov/HISTORY/VA_History/Overview.asp (accessed January 28, 2023). 4. 38 U.S. Code § 1116, https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38/1116 (accessed January 28, 2023). 5. S. 3373, Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022), Public Law No. 117-168, 117th Congress, August 10, 2022, https://www. congress.gov/117/plaws/publ168/PLAW-117publ168.pdf (accessed January 28, 2023). 6. H.R. 2471, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Public Law No. 117-103, 117th Congress, March 15, 2022, Division S, Title I, https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ103/PLAW-117publ103.pdf (accessed March 18, 2023). Known variously as the Department of Veterans Affairs Nurse and Physician Assistant Retention and Income Security Enhancement Act and the VA Nurse and Physician Assistant RAISE Act. 7. See note 5, supra.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Moderate
Vector: 65%
Pages: 682-684AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the VSAFE Act and the Project 2025 VA section aim to reduce fraud and improve the VA's effectiveness through better tools, training, and interagency coordination, though the bill targets external scams on veterans while Project 2025 focuses on internal claims processing inefficiencies and improper payments."

Key themes:fraud reductioninteragency coordinationtechnology toolsveteran protectionVA oversight

— 649 — Department of Veterans Affairs approaches and technology tools that currently exist in the private sector could be employed to improve existing VBA activities. This problem is most pronounced in the disability claims process, which needs more and better management attention focused on streamlining the procedures involved in processing claims and administering benefits. The VA must improve timeliness of claim adjudication and benefits delivery: Veterans want the VBA to provide timely responses to requests for benefits support, render empathetic customer service and understandable explanations of those benefits, and deliver those benefits without frustrating delays (weeks, not months). l Identify performance targets for benefits, report publicly on actual performance each quarter, and use these metrics to drive consistent improvement. l Develop a new pilot “Express 30” commitment for a veteran’s first fully developed disability compensation claim and organize the VBA to complete the first claim in 30 days. l Hire more private companies to perform disability medical examinations. Delays in completing the examinations could be eliminated with more external capacity. l Increase automation. Hiring additional staff to process claims is costly, is inflexible, and has yielded mixed results. Attempting to change laws and regulations simply to adjudicate claims would be a herculean effort given their complexity. The best way to provide benefits faster and more accurately is by using technology to perform most of the work. Technology currently exists in the private sector, but the VBA lacks the expertise to use it. This would be more of an organizational challenge than a technology hurdle. l Reduce improper payment and fraud. About $500 million is improperly paid out each year. Better tools, training, and management could reduce this substantially, but rule changes at the departmental level would be needed. Budget The VA’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) has assigned disability ratings to a growing number of health conditions over time; some are tenuously related or wholly unrelated to military service. The further growth in presumptive service-connected medical conditions pursued by Congress and Veteran Service Organizations, begun with Agent Orange and most recently for Burn Pits/Airborne — 650 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Toxins, has led to historic increases in mandatory VBA spending in recent years. The VA has a time-phased plan to reassess the VASRD and its ratings for com- pensation, but this internal process can be slow and laborious, requires Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approvals, and can become politically charged both in Congress and with VSOs. l The next Administration should explore how VASRD reviews could be accelerated with clearance from OMB to target significant cost savings from revising disability rating awards for future claimants while preserving them fully or partially for existing claimants. l The VBA’s Information Technology top-line budget should be reexamined and reassessed in light of the need for expanded automation across the enterprise. l Traditionally, VHA captures the large majority of VA IT funding. The VBA needs to make the case for a larger IT budget with clear requirements to support that request. Personnel l Pursue reforms of the Human Capital Management process and operations within the VBA to build a more blended workforce with more contractors to process claims. This would free federal employees to perform other duties and be involved solely with the final decision to award benefits. l Improve the VBA acquisition workforce. The VBA needs more world-class contractor support. Currently, few of the top companies have contracts with the VBA, and the VBA needs to conduct more outreach to the private sector through senior leader engagement and industry conferences. l To identify more effective and efficient ways to complete claims, establish a knowledge exchange program with top-tier private-sector companies that do similar work. The VBA is fundamentally a financial services organization. A significant amount of its work has a private-sector analogue that could be leveraged to improve service to veterans. l For most of its existence, the VBA has been a risk-averse, insular, paper-based organization, implementing technology only over the past decade. This insularity has led to a predominantly “build it ourselves” approach, partly because VBA staff has limited experience or insight into current private- sector tools and methods and partly because the VBA struggles to compete

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About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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