To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Toms River, New Jersey, the Leonard G. 'Bud' Lomell, VA Clinic, and for other purposes.

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Bill ID: 119/hr/2170
Last Updated: July 17, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]

ID: S000522

Follow the money

The bill

To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Toms River, New Jersey, the Leonard G. 'Bud' Lomell, VA Clinic, and for other purposes.

HR. 2170, 119th Congress.

The sponsor

Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]

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

The money

$67,100 raised

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

The alignment

55% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Transportation" section, p. 673-675 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 119-35.

September 4, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

Passed Congress

Presidential Action

Became Law

📍 Current Status

This bill has become 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 meaningless exercise in legislative grandstanding, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of HR 2170 is to rename a Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Toms River, New Jersey, after Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, a World War II hero and local resident. The objective? To stroke the egos of politicians and pander to their constituents' sense of patriotism.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** Section 2 of the bill designates the clinic as the "Leonard G. 'Bud' Lomell VA Clinic." Wow, what a monumental achievement! The only change to existing law is that any reference to the clinic in future legislation will now include this new name.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties are the Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans who use the clinic, and the local community. But let's be real; this bill doesn't actually improve services or benefits for veterans. It's just a feel-good gesture to make politicians look good.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Zero. Zilch. Nada. This bill has no tangible impact on policy or the lives of veterans. It's a symbolic gesture, a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. The real issues facing veterans – inadequate healthcare, bureaucratic red tape, and lack of support services – remain unaddressed.

Now, let's diagnose the underlying disease: **Legislative Narcissism**. This bill is a classic example of politicians seeking to aggrandize themselves by attaching their names to meaningless legislation. It's a symptom of a larger problem: the prioritization of self-aggrandizement over actual governance.

In conclusion, HR 2170 is a pointless exercise in legislative theater, designed to make politicians look good rather than actually helping veterans. It's a waste of time, resources, and taxpayer dollars. Next case!

Related Topics

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

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$67,100
17 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$1,100
Committees
$0
Individuals
$66,000

No PAC contributions found

1
WALL REPUBLICAN CLUB
1 transaction
$1,100

No committee contributions found

1
HOLMES, WILLIAM MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
2
FRANKEL, KEITH MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
3
CROWLEY-DEANGELIS, DENISE MRS.
2 transactions
$6,600
4
SAKER, RICHARD MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
5
CLAYTON, WILLIAM MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
6
DUNCAN, JAN L. MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
7
HARRIS, MARY ELLEN MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
8
KOLBER, GEORGE MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
9
OBERHELMAN, DIANE MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
10
DEANGELIS, MARK MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
11
ADJMI, HARRY MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
12
ROHAN GREEN, D'ARCY MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
13
FRANKEL, TAMMY MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
14
HILL, VERNON
1 transaction
$3,300
15
SAKER, LAURA MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
16
SUN, ROBERT X. MR.
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

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

Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]

ID: N000188

Top Contributors

10

1
DAVIS, MITCHELL
DAVIS & ASSOCIATES • DEVELOPER
IndividualPHILADELPHIA, PA
$4,600
Dec 5, 2023
2
BELLIA, MICHAEL
BELLIA ENTERPRISES • CFO
IndividualWOODBURY, NJ
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
3
BERNARDES, JULIENE
SELF EMPLOYED • PT
IndividualARLINGTON, VA
$3,300
Oct 29, 2024
4
BIBBS, K. WENDELL
REMINGTON & VERNICK • ENGINEER
IndividualVOORHEES, NJ
$3,300
Oct 24, 2024
5
BIRD, ALLEN
M&A • CONTRACTOR
IndividualARLINGTON, VA
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
6
CAPOFERRI, ROBERT
ASPHALT PAVING SYSTEMS, INC. • PRESIDENT
IndividualHAMMONTON, NJ
$3,300
Oct 31, 2024
7
CULNAN, DENNIS JR
PHOENIX STRATEGIES • MANAGING DIRECTOR
IndividualMT LAUREL, NJ
$3,300
Oct 30, 2024
8
FORMAN, DONNA R
N/A • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualCHERRY HILL, NJ
$3,300
Oct 30, 2024
9
LEONARD, THOMAS A ESQ.
OBERMAYER REBMANN ET AL • ATTORNEY
IndividualPHILADELPHIA, PA
$3,300
Oct 30, 2024
10
KRONE, DAVID BRETT
APOLLO MANAGEMENT • PARTNER
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Jan 22, 2024

Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]

ID: V000133

Top Contributors

10

1
WINRED
PACARLINGTON, VA
$6,781
Jan 26, 2024
2
WINRED
PACARLINGTON, VA
$868
Feb 16, 2024
3
ACE LISTENGER ENTERPRISES LLC
OrganizationLOUISVILLE, KY
$500
Sep 30, 2024
4
SPTWO LLC
OrganizationNORTH WILDWOOD, NJ
$500
Sep 30, 2024
5
TEC AEROSPACE, LLC
OrganizationCLAYTON, NJ
$500
Jun 30, 2024
6
FV REDEMPTION LLC
OrganizationCAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NJ
$500
Jun 27, 2024
7
CHARLES MARANDINO LLC
OrganizationMILMAY, NJ
$105
May 15, 2024
8
FORMAN, RICHARD P
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualCHERRY HILL, NJ
$6,600
Nov 29, 2023
9
HOLLANDER, SCOTT
PULSE VASCULAR • PHYSICIAN
IndividualMULLICA HILL, NJ
$6,600
Feb 16, 2024
10
LAUDEMAN, KEITH MR
COLD SPRING FISH • FISH DEALER
IndividualCAPE MAY, NJ
$6,600
May 8, 2023

Rep. Conaway, Herbert [D-NJ-3]

ID: C001136

Top Contributors

10

1
THE PLATT LAW GROUP P.C.
OrganizationSTRATFORD, NJ
$1,000
May 8, 2024
2
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP DEMOCRATIC CLUB
OrganizationFREEHOLD, NJ
$250
Jul 24, 2024
3
GALLETTI, SCOTT
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualHO HO KUS, NJ
$3,300
Sep 26, 2024
4
LEITNER, ROBYN
ADVANCED UROLOGIC ASSOCIATES ENTERPRIS • PHYSICIAN
IndividualPOINT PLEASANT BORO, NJ
$3,300
Jul 17, 2024
5
ESTIN, DAVID
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualMONMOUTH BEACH, NJ
$3,300
Sep 26, 2024
6
SHEIKH, WASIF
ION MONITORING • NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
IndividualPISCATAWAY, NJ
$3,300
Sep 18, 2024
7
COBB, WILLIAM S
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualALLENDALE, NJ
$3,300
Sep 26, 2024
8
CHAUDHRY, FARRUKH
ION MONITORING MANAGEMENT • NEUROPHYSIOLOGIST
IndividualMONMOUTH JUNCTION, NJ
$3,300
Sep 18, 2024
9
OLSON, TY J
NEUROSURGEONS OF NEW JERSEY • PHYSICIAN
IndividualRUMSON, NJ
$3,300
Sep 26, 2024
10
FALCONE, CARMEL A
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualALLENDALE, NJ
$3,300
Sep 26, 2024

Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

ID: G000583

Top Contributors

10

1
AMERICAN EXPRESS
OrganizationNEWARK, NJ
$22,941
Apr 12, 2024
2
AMERICAN EXPRESS
OrganizationNEWARK, NJ
$10,621
May 10, 2024
3
PAYROLL DATA PROCESSING
OrganizationTAMPA, FL
$6,337
May 15, 2024
4
PAYROLL DATA PROCESSING
OrganizationTAMPA, FL
$6,337
Apr 15, 2024
5
PAYROLL DATA PROCESSING
OrganizationTAMPA, FL
$6,337
Apr 30, 2024
6
PAYROLL DATA PROCESSING
OrganizationTAMPA, FL
$5,751
Apr 1, 2024
7
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
8
SEKAS LAW GROUP LLC
OrganizationENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ
$1,500
Apr 12, 2024
9
SANDOR F. GENET & ASSOCIATES, P.A.
OrganizationNORTH MIAMI BEACH, FL
$250
Apr 12, 2024
10
FIRESTONE MILKEN, SARAH
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualPACIFIC PALISADES, CA
$13,200
Jul 2, 2024

Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6]

ID: P000034

Top Contributors

10

1
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF INDIANS
OrganizationTACOMA, WA
$3,300
May 22, 2024
2
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF INDIANS
OrganizationTACOMA, WA
$2,900
Jun 6, 2023
3
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
Jun 18, 2024
4
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
Jun 1, 2023
5
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$1,000
Oct 16, 2024
6
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$825
Sep 29, 2023
7
HOLMDEL FUNERAL HOME
OrganizationHOLMDEL, NJ
$500
Dec 1, 2023
8
MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
OrganizationCHOCTAW, MS
$500
Dec 27, 2023
9
HIGHLANDS DEMOCRATIC CLUB
OrganizationHIGHLANDS, NJ
$500
Sep 10, 2024
10
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF INDIANS
OrganizationTACOMA, WA
$400
May 22, 2024

Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7]

ID: K000398

Top Contributors

10

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Oct 24, 2024
2
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Dec 27, 2024
3
LOEB, JOHN
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualPURCHASE, NY
$6,600
Nov 4, 2024
4
LOEB, JOHN
IndividualPURCHASE, NY
$6,600
Nov 4, 2024
5
VOCCOLA, FREDERICK
KASEYA • CEO
IndividualMIAMI, FL
$6,600
Mar 1, 2024
6
PISANO, JOHN
IndividualWEST PALM BEACH, FL
$3,700
Jan 22, 2024
7
VOCCOLA, FREDERICK
IndividualMIAMI, FL
$3,500
Mar 12, 2024
8
NIEMIEC, DAVID
SELF • INVESTMENTS
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Oct 11, 2024
9
TAYLOR, ALEXANDER
MATRIX DEV GRP • REAL ESTATE
IndividualBELMAR, NJ
$3,300
Oct 1, 2024
10
BRUECKNER, RICHARD F.
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualBEDMINSTER, NJ
$3,300
Oct 4, 2024

Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]

ID: M001226

Top Contributors

10

1
SCARINCI & HOLLENBECK
OrganizationLITTLE FALLS, NJ
$3,300
Mar 29, 2024
2
SAMPSON FOR ASSEMBLY
OrganizationBAYONNE, NJ
$1,000
Mar 26, 2024
3
ACTBLUE
CONDUIT TOTAL LISTED IN AGG. FIELD
OrganizationSOMERVILLE, MA
$1,000
Feb 4, 2024
4
ACTBLUE
CONDUIT TOTAL LISTED IN AGG. FIELD
OrganizationSOMERVILLE, MA
$1,000
Mar 31, 2024
5
FRANK X SCHILLARI FOR SHERIFF
OrganizationSECAUCUS, NJ
$1,000
Jan 30, 2024
6
SOPHIA ROOFTOP LLC
OrganizationJERSEY CITY, NJ
$1,000
Jan 30, 2024
7
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLAKESIDE, CA
$1,000
Jun 24, 2024
8
ACTBLUE
CONDUIT TOTAL LISTED IN AGG. FIELD
OrganizationSOMERVILLE, MA
$500
Feb 25, 2024
9
ACTBLUE
CONDUIT TOTAL LISTED IN AGG. FIELD
OrganizationSOMERVILLE, MA
$500
Feb 18, 2024
10
ACTBLUE
CONDUIT TOTAL LISTED IN AGG. FIELD
OrganizationSOMERVILLE, MA
$500
Mar 31, 2024

Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]

ID: P000621

Top Contributors

10

1
MATSIKOUDIS & FANCIULLO, LLC
OrganizationJERSEY CITY, NJ
$500
Oct 15, 2024
2
COOK, HAROLD P. III
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualNORTH HALEDON, NJ
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
3
MUKHERJI, RAJ
STATE OF NEW JERSEY • SENATOR
IndividualJERSEY CITY, NJ
$3,300
Oct 27, 2024
4
KRAMER, LAWRENCE
V. PAULIUS & ASSOCIATES • ATTORNEY
IndividualGLEN ROCK, NJ
$3,300
Nov 8, 2024
5
CURITOMAI, NORBERTO
SPANISH TRANSPORTATION SVC • CEO
IndividualCLIFTON, NJ
$3,300
Oct 25, 2024
6
KIPIANI, CARLA TURCO
CARLA DEVELOPMENT GROUP • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
IndividualLYNDHURST, NJ
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
7
CRISOSTOMO, YAMILKY
YNC TAX • CEO
IndividualCLIFTON, NJ
$3,300
Oct 20, 2024
8
AVILA, RENE A.
GI AUTO SALVAGE • PRESIDENT
IndividualPINE BROOK, NJ
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
9
COLGAN, BILL
GP MANAGEMENT, LLC • PARTNER
IndividualBLOOMFIELD, NJ
$3,300
Oct 24, 2024
10
KIPIANI, PAUL
CARLA DEVELOPMENT GROUP • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
IndividualFRANKLIN LAKES, NJ
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024

Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]

ID: M001229

Top Contributors

10

1
FRIENDS OF ANDRE SAYEGH
CITY OF PATERSON • ELECTED OFFICIAL
COMPATERSON, NJ
$250
Jun 28, 2024
2
ELECTION FUND OF CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
OrganizationFORDS, NJ
$1,000
Jun 13, 2024
3
ELECTION FUND OF PATRICK COUNCIL
OrganizationNEWARK, NJ
$250
Jun 12, 2024
4
JACOBS, IRWIN
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualLA JOLLA, CA
$3,300
Nov 21, 2024
5
HANINI, SAMER
SKYE • ARCHITECTURE
IndividualWEST ORANGE, NJ
$3,300
Jun 26, 2024
6
JACOBS, JOSEPH
SELF EMPLOYED • ATTORNEY
IndividualPUNTA GORDA, FL
$3,300
Jun 24, 2024
7
PANEPINTO, JOSEPH
PANEPINTO PROPERTIES • CEO
IndividualJERSEY CITY, NJ
$3,300
Jun 21, 2024
8
GOMES, JOE
EMPIRE PLAZA LLC • OWNER
IndividualLINDEN, NJ
$3,300
Jun 29, 2024
9
ISSA, MARK
ASHTON BUILDING COMPANY LLC • CO-OWNER
IndividualFLORHAM PARK, NJ
$3,300
Jun 29, 2024
10
JORGE, LEE
ASHTON BUILDING COMPANY LLC • CO-OWNER
IndividualFLORHAM PARK, NJ
$3,300
Jun 29, 2024

Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11]

ID: S001207

Top Contributors

10

1
SANZONE, MICHAEL
HSBC BANK • BANKER
IndividualGLEN RIDGE, NJ
$3,300
Nov 4, 2024
2
ST. ROMAIN, CLAUDETTE L.
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY • PROFESSOR
IndividualCHATHAM, NJ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
3
LUSTBERG, LAWRENCE S.
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualCHATHAM, NJ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
4
SLATER, FREDRIC
LRF SLATER COMPANIES, INC. • PRESIDENT
IndividualLIVINGSTON, NJ
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
5
ST. ROMAIN, CLAUDETTE L.
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY • PROFESSOR
IndividualCHATHAM, NJ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
6
JOY, MARTHA
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualENGLEWOOD, FL
$3,300
Nov 3, 2024
7
CONNORS, SUSAN
NAGEL RICE, LLP • ATTORNEY
IndividualCHATHAM, NJ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
8
MILLER, VALERIE
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualBROOKLYN, NY
$3,300
Oct 27, 2024
9
MILLER, JOSHUA
THE BROWSER COMPANY OF NEW YORK • CEO
IndividualBROOKLYN, NY
$3,300
Oct 27, 2024
10
MINDICH, ERIC
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Nov 20, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

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

Loading...

Showing 37 nodes and 36 connections (22 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $138,748

Top Donors - Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]

Showing top 17 donors by contribution amount

1 Org16 Individuals

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 Transportation

Weak
Vector: 55%
Pages: 673-675AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on symbolically naming a VA clinic after a WWII hero, which touches on VA recognition of veterans but does not address the substantive policy goals in Project 2025 such as veteran‑centric health care delivery, reforms, access improvements, or organizational ethos changes."

Key themes:Veterans Affairshonoring veteransVA facility namingveteran‑centric recognition

— 641 — 20 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Brooks D. Tucker MISSION STATEMENT The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the primary provider of health care, benefits, and memorial affairs for America’s veterans and their families. The VA has the noble responsibility to render exceptional and timely support and services with respect, compassion, and competence. The veteran is at the forefront of every VA process and interaction. The VA must continually strive to be recognized as a “best in class,” “Veteran-centric”1 system with an organizational ethos inspired by and accountable to the needs and problems of veterans, not subservient to the parochial preferences of a bureaucracy. OVERVIEW At the end of the Obama Administration, the VA was held in low esteem both by the veterans it served and by the employees who served these former warriors. Eroding morale caused by the downstream effects of a health care access crisis in 2014 led to the resignation of Secretary Eric Shinseki and extensive oversight investigations by Congress from 2015–2016. By 2020, however, the VA had become one of the most respected U.S. agencies. This significant progress was due in part to the leadership of Secretary Robert Wilkie (2018–2021) and his team of political appointees and career senior executives, many of them veterans, who led the effort to ensure that the VA became “Veteran-centric” in its governance decisions and fostered a more positive work environment. This mindset translated into a department that was better attuned to employees’ and veterans’ needs and experiences in the daily operations of health care, benefits, — 642 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise and memorial affairs. During that period, the VA received the largest number of watershed congressional authorizations to reform its health care and benefits that it had received since the post–Vietnam War years along with historic increases in annual appropriations, which have tripled since the last full year of the George W. Bush Administration. The current VA leadership team of Biden appointees has adopted some of their predecessors’ governance processes. However, they have not sustained the previous Administration’s commitment to a genuine “Veteran-centric” philosophy, most nota- bly with respect to the delivery of health care, and harbor a bias toward expanding the unionized federal employee workforce that has not always been aligned with a focus on “Veteran-centric” care. There also is growing concern in Congress and the veteran community that the VA is poorly managing and in some cases disregarding provisions of the VA MISSION [Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Out- side Networks] Act of 20182 that codify broad access for veterans to non-VA health care providers. Efforts to expand disability benefits to large populations without adequate planning have caused an erosion of veterans’ trust in the VA enterprise. Additionally, the current VA leadership is focusing very publicly on “social equity and inclusion” within departmental policy discussions toward ends that will affect only a small minority of the veterans who use the VA. For the first time, the VA is allowing access to abortion services, a medical procedure unrelated to military service that the VA lacks the legal authority and clinical proficiency to perform. In addition to continuing the grotesque culture of violence against the child in the womb, these sociopolitical initiatives and ideological indoctrinations distract from the department’s core missions. DEPARTMENTAL HISTORY Following the Civil War, state veterans homes were established to provide med- ical and hospital treatment for all injuries and diseases. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, “Congress established a new system of Veterans benefits, including programs for disability compensation, insurance for service personnel and Veterans, and vocational rehabilitation for the disabled”3 that was overseen by three different federal programs: the Veterans Bureau, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Pensions, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. In 1921, Congress combined those programs into the Veterans Bureau. Following World War II, a national VA hospital system, much of which remains operational today, was established to care for millions of returning veterans. Following the Vietnam War, the VA’s federally owned and operated hospital network expanded again to meet the needs of the volunteer and draftee population. In the past two decades, the VA has purposely transitioned to leasing medical prop- erties rather than building expensive new facilities that can take years to complete and often experience budget overruns. As the nature of health care has evolved

Department of Veterans Affairs

Weak
Vector: 54%
Pages: 679-681AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"HR 2170 is a symbolic naming measure for an existing VA community-based outpatient clinic and does not enact any of the operational, structural, or personnel reforms outlined in the Project 2025 VA policy. Its only tangential connection is the mention of a CBOC, which aligns weakly with the policy's emphasis on CBOC expansion."

Key themes:Community Based Outpatient ClinicsVA footprintsymbolic recognition

— 647 — Department of Veterans Affairs reimagine the health care footprint in some locales, and spur a realignment of capacity through budgetary allocations. Specifically: 1. Embrace the expansion of Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) as an avenue to maintain a VA footprint in challenging medical markets without investing further in obsolete and unaffordable VA health care campuses. 2. Explore the potential to pilot facility-sharing partnerships between the VA and strained local health care systems to reduce costs by leveraging limited talent and resources. Personnel l Extend the term of the Under Secretary for Health (USH) to five years. Additionally, authority should be given to reappoint this individual for a second five-year term both to allow for continuity and to protect the USH from political transition. l Establish a Senior Executive Service (SES) position of VHA Care System Chief Information Officer (CIO), selected by and reporting to the chief of the VHA Care System with a dotted line to the VA CIO. l Identify a workflow process to bring wait times in compliance with VA MISSION Act–required time frames wherever possible. 1. Assess the daily clinical appointment load for physicians and clinical staff in medical facilities where wait times for care are well outside of the time frames required by the VA MISSION Act. 2. Require VHA facilities to increase the number of patients seen each day to equal the number seen by DOD medical facilities: approximately 19 patients per provider per day. Currently, VA facilities may be seeing as few as six patients per provider per day. 3. Consider a pilot program to extend weekday appointment hours and offer Saturday appointment options to veterans if a facility continues to demonstrate that it has excess capacity and is experiencing delays in the delivery of care for veterans. 4. Identify clinical services that are consistently in high demand but require cost-prohibitive compensation to recruit and retain talent, and examine exceptions for higher competitive pay. — 648 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 5. Assess the medical facilities where Community Care is readily available but referrals for Community Care are below the averages in other similar markets, referrals expiring are above the average, and/ or canceled appointments are above the average. Identify reasons and factors and consider possible ways to improve timeliness and responsiveness for veterans. 6. Further explore how to leverage telehealth to reduce personnel costs across the enterprise and serve veterans. Continue to pursue expansion of broadband services to remote and rural areas. 7. Assess recruitment and retention in highly competitive medical markets to identify common limiting factors for attracting high-demand, specialized occupations. 8. Consider aggressively recruiting retired physicians who desire to serve veterans. 9. Consider expanding VA tuition assistance in exchange for reciprocal service in rural or understaffed VAMCs. 10. Examine the surpluses or deficits in mental health professionals throughout the enterprise, recognizing that the department needs a blend of social workers, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists with a focus on attracting high-quality talent. l Conduct a high-priority assessment of Electronic Health Record (EHR) transition delays and functionality problems. VA innovation in health care for the next 20 years and beyond will rest squarely on the timely implementation of the new VHA EHR in coordination with the DOD’s parallel pacing effort. The VA’s EHR rollout has been blocked by technical delays at local facilities where personnel have raised safety concerns and infrastructure has not been modernized to accept the new system. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION (VBA) Needed Reforms The most evident and ongoing concern is the complexity of benefits, which can lead to confusion for the veteran and, if not mitigated early in the veteran’s interactions, long-term distrust of and animosity toward the VA. Wholesale ben- efits reform is unnecessary and politically a “third rail,” but effective managerial

Department of Veterans Affairs

Weak
Vector: 52%
Pages: 676-678AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"HR 2170 is a symbolic naming measure for a VA clinic and does not address any of the substantive policy reforms outlined in Project 2025, such as community care expansion, demographic adjustments, or rescinding specific clinical directives."

Key themes:Veterans AffairsVA clinic namingsymbolic tribute

— 644 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise In sum, the VA for the foreseeable future will experience significant fiscal, human capital, and infrastructure crosswinds and risks. Budgets are at historic highs, and with a workforce now above 400,000, the VA is contending with a lack of new veteran enrollees to offset the declining population of older veterans. Recruitment of medical and benefits personnel has become more challenging. Veterans are migrating from the northern states to the southern and western states for retirement and employment. Meanwhile, VA information technol- ogy (IT) is struggling to keep pace with the evolution of patient care and record keeping. Consequently, VA leaders in the next Administration must be wise and courageous political strategists, experienced managers to run day-to-day oper- ations more effectively, innovators to address the changing veteran landscape, and agile “fixers” to mitigate and repair systemic problems created or ignored by the present leadership team. VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (VHA) Needed Reforms l Rescind all departmental clinical policy directives that are contrary to principles of conservative governance starting with abortion services and gender reassignment surgery. Neither aligns with service-connected conditions that would warrant VA’s providing this type of clinical care, and both follow the Left’s pernicious trend of abusing the role of government to further its own agenda. l Focus on the effects of shifting veteran demographics. At least during the next decade, the VA will experience a significant generational shift in its overall patient population. Of the approximately 18 million veterans alive today, roughly 9.1 million are enrolled for VA health care, and 6.4 million of these enrollees use VA health care consistently. These 6.4 million veterans are split almost evenly between those who are over age 65 and those who are under age 65, but the share of VA’s health care dollars is spent predominantly in the over-65 cohort. That share increases significantly as veterans live longer and use the VHA system at a higher rate. VHA enrollments of new users are increasingly at risk of being exceeded by the deaths of current enrollees, primarily because significant numbers of the Vietnam generation are reaching their life expectancy. The generational transition from Vietnam-era veterans to post-9/11 veterans will take several years to complete. The ongoing demographic transition is a catalyst for needed assessments of how the VA can improve the delivery of care to a numerically declining and differently dispersed national population — 645 — Department of Veterans Affairs of veterans—a population that is more active, reaching middle age or retirement age, and migrating for lifestyle and career reasons. At the center of the VHA’s evolution during this generational transition is an ongoing tension, some of it politically contrived, between Direct Care for Veterans provided from inside the VHA system and Community Care for Veterans who are referred to private providers participating in the VHA’s two Community Care Networks (CCNs). In recent years, the budget for Community Care has grown as demand from veterans has risen sharply, sometimes outpacing the budgets for Community Care at individual VAMCs. The Trump Administration made Community Care part of its “Veteran- centric” approach to ensure that veterans would be able to participate more fully in their health care decisions and have options if or when the VHA was unable to meet their needs. The Biden Administration has watered down that effort, has sought various procedural ways to slow the rate of referrals to private doctors, and at some facilities is reportedly manipulating the Community Care access standards required by the VA MISSION Act of 2018. If the makeup of Congress is favorable in 2025, the next Administration should rapidly and explicitly codify VA MISSION Act access standards in legislation to prevent the VA from avoiding or watering down the requirements in the future. First and foremost, a veterans bill of rights is needed so that veterans and VA staff know exactly what benefits veterans are entitled to receive, with a clear process for the adjudication of disputes, and so that staff ensure that all veterans are informed of their eligibility for Community Care. Currently, veterans are not routinely and consistently told that they are eligible for Community Care unless they request information or are given a referral. l To strengthen Community Care, the next Administration should create new Secretarial directives to implement the VA MISSION Act properly. Sections for consideration and areas for reform include the following: 1. Sections 101 and 103 (Community Care eligibility for access standards and the best medical interest of the veteran). 2. Section 104 (Community Care access standards and standards for quality of care).

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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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