SAVES Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/2605
Last Updated: July 17, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]

ID: L000603

Follow the money

The bill

SAVES Act

HR. 2605, 119th Congress — read as touching Hospitals & Health Systems.

The sponsor

Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]

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

The money

$104,334 raised

24 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

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 264.

September 25, 2025

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

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 bill, another opportunity for our esteemed lawmakers to pretend they care about something other than lining their own pockets and getting re-elected. Let's dissect this mess.

**Main Purpose & Objectives**

The SAVES Act (because who doesn't love a good acronym?) aims to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that train service dogs for eligible veterans. The bill's sponsors claim it will help improve the lives of our nation's heroes by giving them access to these wonderful canine companions. How touching.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law**

The bill establishes a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to award grants to nonprofits that meet certain requirements, such as having experience in training service dogs and complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The VA will provide up to $2 million per grant recipient, which can be used for various purposes like training, marketing, and administrative expenses.

Oh, and let's not forget the obligatory "we care about veterans" language: the bill requires nonprofits to inform veterans that their service dogs are being paid for by the VA (wow, what a generous gesture) and provide them with information on available benefits. How thoughtful.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders**

* Veterans who might actually benefit from these service dogs (but let's be real, this is just a tiny fraction of the overall veteran population) * Nonprofit organizations that will receive grants and get to pad their resumes with "we helped veterans" credentials * The VA, which gets to pretend it's doing something meaningful for veterans while likely wasting millions on bureaucratic overhead * Lobbyists and special interest groups who will inevitably find ways to exploit this program for their own gain

**Potential Impact & Implications**

This bill is a classic case of "feel-good legislation" – it sounds great on paper, but its actual impact will be minimal. The grants will likely go to a handful of well-connected nonprofits that have mastered the art of writing grant proposals, while the majority of veterans will remain unaffected.

Meanwhile, the VA will get to pat itself on the back for "supporting our troops" while continuing to struggle with its own internal inefficiencies and bureaucratic red tape. And let's not forget the inevitable waste and abuse that comes with any government program – I'm sure we'll see plenty of stories about nonprofits misusing funds or providing subpar services.

In short, this bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, designed to make politicians look good rather than actually addressing the complex issues facing our nation's veterans. But hey, at least it's something, right?

Related Topics

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

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$104,334
17 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$12,400
Committees
$0
Individuals
$91,934

No PAC contributions found

1
ALABAMA-COUSHATTA TRIBE
2 transactions
$6,600
2
TIGUA INDIAN RES.-YSLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO
2 transactions
$5,800

No committee contributions found

1
LUCKEY, PALMER
3 transactions
$9,900
2
JOHNSON, MICHAEL
2 transactions
$6,870
3
GRIFFIN, KENNETH
1 transaction
$6,600
4
SINGER, PAUL
1 transaction
$6,600
5
STEDMAN, STUART
1 transaction
$6,600
6
FISHER, KENNETH
1 transaction
$6,600
7
FISHER, SHERRILYN
1 transaction
$6,600
8
ERICKSON, MARILYN
1 transaction
$6,600
9
WEBER, SCOTT
1 transaction
$6,600
10
LACY, KATE
2 transactions
$6,600
11
GONSOULIN, AL
2 transactions
$6,600
12
GANNAWAY, BERRY
1 transaction
$5,000
13
NUCHE, JEFF
1 transaction
$4,164
14
BLAIR, NELDA
1 transaction
$3,300
15
JUNEAU, MELISSA
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

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

Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]

ID: M001220

Top Contributors

10

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Oct 26, 2024
2
LA CASITA CENTER
OrganizationLOUISVILLE, KY
$154
Oct 16, 2023
3
CALOBRACE, BRADLEY
SELF • PHYSICIAN
IndividualLOUISVILLE, KY
$6,600
Oct 18, 2024
4
BROWN, CAMPBELL
BROWN-FORMAN • PRESIDENT OLD FORESTER
IndividualLOUISVILLE, KY
$3,300
Oct 30, 2024
5
MEHROTRA, LOPA
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualGLENVIEW, KY
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
6
MEHROTRA, RISHABH
AVIONTE • CEO
IndividualGLENVIEW, KY
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
7
HELM, NELSON
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualLOUISVILLE, KY
$3,300
Dec 29, 2023
8
ROTH, EVAN
BBR PARTNERS • CO-CEO
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Oct 18, 2023
9
CHRISTENSEN, JOSH
NORTON HEALTHCARE • PHYSICIAN
IndividualLOUISVILLE, KY
$3,300
Dec 3, 2023
10
SISCOVICK, TALIA
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualSTAMFORD, CT
$3,300
Oct 31, 2023

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. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]

ID: B001260

Top Contributors

10

1
RICHARDS, CHRISTINE
CVP • CUST/BUS TRANS
IndividualBARTLETT, TN
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
2
RICHARDS, DANIEL
DR. CONSULTING • CPA
IndividualBARTLETT, TN
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
3
GARCIA, MARIO
EMSI - TAMPA • PRESIDENT/CEO
IndividualTAMPA, FL
$3,300
Nov 28, 2023
4
BENJAMIN, STEPHEN
VALIDUS SENIOR LIVING • CEO
IndividualODESSA, FL
$3,300
Nov 10, 2023
5
GARCIA, IVIS
HOMEMAKER • HOMEMAKER
IndividualTAMPA, FL
$3,300
Nov 28, 2023
6
GARCIA, MARIO
EMSI - TAMPA • PRESIDENT/CEO
IndividualTAMPA, FL
$3,300
Nov 28, 2023
7
GARCIA, IVIS
HOMEMAKER • HOMEMAKER
IndividualTAMPA, FL
$3,300
Nov 28, 2023
8
JOHNSON, TRAVIS
1607 STRATEGIES • FOUNDER
IndividualARLINGTON, VA
$3,300
Dec 6, 2023
9
COPELAND, GERRET
TERREG MANAGEMENT LLC • CEO
IndividualSARASOTA, FL
$3,300
Feb 7, 2023
10
COPELAND, KYM
HOMEMAKER • HOMEMAKER
IndividualSARASOTA, FL
$3,300
Feb 7, 2023

Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

ID: N000147

Top Contributors

10

1
DONOHOE, BERT
THE DONOHOE COMPANIES INC. • EVP, REAL ESTATE
IndividualBETHESDA, MD
$3,300
May 2, 2024
2
OTONI, RAFAELA
HILTON CORPORATION • PRESIDENT & CEO
IndividualMC LEAN, VA
$3,300
May 3, 2024
3
REID, JACK
RAM CUSTOM SERVICES • PRESIDENT
IndividualCHESAPEAKE BEACH, MD
$3,300
May 6, 2024
4
LEWIS, JACQUELINE
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualWASHINGTON, DC
$3,300
Jul 10, 2023
5
LEWIS, JACQUELINE
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualWASHINGTON, DC
$3,300
Jul 10, 2023
6
BARRY, DAVID E. JR
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualBEALLSVILLE, MD
$2,500
May 12, 2024
7
POLASKI, MICHAEL
THE DONOHOE COMPANIES INC. • EXECUTIVE
IndividualBROADLANDS, VA
$2,500
May 13, 2024
8
GRUNLEY, KENNETH
GRUNLEY CONSTRUCTION • CEO
IndividualPOTOMAC, MD
$2,500
Jun 23, 2023
9
BRUCH, CHRIS
THE DONOHOE COMPANIES INC. • CEO
IndividualBETHESDA, MD
$2,300
Apr 30, 2024
10
EARNEST, JAMES M.
SELF-EMPLOYED • REAL ESTATE INVESTOR
IndividualBETHESDA, MD
$2,300
May 10, 2024

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

ID: V000135

Top Contributors

10

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Dec 9, 2024
2
HO CHUNK NATION
OrganizationBLACK RIVER FALLS, WI
$3,300
Nov 2, 2024
3
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
OrganizationCRANDON, WI
$3,300
Sep 17, 2024
4
AIPAC PAC CONDUIT ACCOUNT
OrganizationWASHINGTON, DC
$500
Oct 23, 2024
5
ALLIANCE OF BANKERS FOR WISCONSIN
OrganizationMADISON, WI
$250
Apr 23, 2024
6
ANDERSON, JOHN R. MR.
ANDERSON ENTERPRISES LLC • OWNER
IndividualROCKFORD, IL
$10,000
Dec 19, 2023
7
BROIN, JEFF
POET LLC • CEO
IndividualSIOUX FALLS, SD
$6,600
Aug 24, 2023
8
UIHLEIN, RICHARD E. MR.
ULINE INC. • CEO
IndividualLAKE BLUFF, IL
$6,600
Feb 28, 2023
9
LEVY, EDWARD C.
EDW. C. LEVY CO. • CHAIRMAN
IndividualBIRMINGHAM, MI
$6,600
Mar 28, 2024
10
LEVY, EDWARD C.
IndividualBIRMINGHAM, MI
$6,600
May 6, 2024

Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3]

ID: M001210

Top Contributors

10

1
DOISE, DARYL
OCEANS HEALTHCARE • EXEC VP
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$6,700
Apr 1, 2024
2
DOISE, DARYL
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$6,700
Apr 10, 2024
3
KAPOOR, DEEPAK
SOLARIS HEALTH • PHYSICIAN EXECUTIVE
IndividualFORT LAUDERDALE, FL
$6,600
Sep 23, 2024
4
KAPOOR, DEEPAK
IndividualFORT LAUDERDALE, FL
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024
5
SCHWARZMAN, STEPHEN
BLACKSTONE • CEO AND CHAIRMAN
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Oct 21, 2024
6
ARUMUGHAM, PRADEEP
ECU • DOCTOR
IndividualKINSTON, NC
$3,300
Dec 11, 2023
7
BOWEN, JOEY M
PRIVATEER TOBACCO CO. INC. • TOBACCONIST
IndividualGREENVILLE, NC
$3,300
Nov 15, 2023
8
BOWEN, JOEY M
PRIVATEER TOBACCO CO. INC. • TOBACCONIST
IndividualGREENVILLE, NC
$3,300
Nov 15, 2023
9
CLARK, MELISSA A
HOMEMAKER • HOMEMAKER
IndividualGREENVILLE, NC
$3,300
Oct 6, 2023
10
CLARK, MELISSA A
HOMEMAKER • HOMEMAKER
IndividualGREENVILLE, NC
$3,300
Oct 6, 2023

Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

ID: D000230

Top Contributors

10

1
FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA
OrganizationROHNERT PARK, CA
$3,300
Mar 5, 2024
2
TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LA
OrganizationMARKSVILLE, LA
$2,000
Dec 31, 2023
3
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
Jun 6, 2023
4
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
May 13, 2024
5
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLAKESIDE, CA
$1,500
May 31, 2023
6
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$1,000
Dec 28, 2023
7
FISHER, DEBORAH
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualCOEUR D ALENE, ID
$4,000
Jul 29, 2024
8
BLOOM, BRADLEY
BERKSHIRE PARTNERS LLC • INVESTMENTS
IndividualWELLESLEY, MA
$3,300
Oct 31, 2024
9
BRAUFMAN, JILL
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualSURFSIDE, FL
$3,300
Oct 18, 2024
10
CLAPP, STEPHEN
SELF EMPLOYED • RANCHER
IndividualSEQUIM, WA
$3,300
Oct 30, 2024

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

Rep. Hunt, Wesley [R-TX-38]

ID: H001095

Top Contributors

10

1
HUNT, RAY L.
HUNT CONSOLIDATED • CEO
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$6,600
Feb 14, 2024
2
CARAYANNOPOULOS, GEORGE
UTMB • PHYSICIAN
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$6,600
Mar 29, 2024
3
FLORY, DAVID
NONE • RETIRED
IndividualMIAMI BEACH, FL
$6,600
May 7, 2024
4
ROWLING, ROBERT B. MR.
TRT HOLDINGS • FOUNDER
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$6,600
Dec 31, 2023
5
HILDEBRAND, MELINDA MRS.
SELF - HILCORP VENTURES • PRESIDENT
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$5,000
Mar 20, 2023
6
HLAVINKA, TOBIAS M. MR.
AMERICAN PLANT FOOD • VP OF SALES/AGRICULTURE
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$5,000
Feb 20, 2023
7
HARTZOGE, ALLISON
ARCHWAY SUPPORT • LPC-S
IndividualMIDLAND, TX
$5,000
Apr 11, 2023
8
CHILDERS, DOUGLAS
ARCHROCK • MANAGER
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$3,435
Mar 31, 2024
9
HARTZOGE, ALLISON
ARCHWAY SUPPORT • LPC-S
IndividualMIDLAND, TX
$3,400
Apr 18, 2023
10
DAVIS, PHILLIP
PEOPLES BANK • BANKER
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$3,300
Oct 15, 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

Donor Network - Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

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

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Showing 70 nodes and 39 connections (64 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $151,688

Top Donors - Rep. Luttrell, Morgan [R-TX-8]

Showing top 17 donors by contribution amount

2 Orgs15 Individuals

Industry Impact

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

  • Section 2(a)-(k) establishes a pilot program awarding grants to nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to eligible veterans, which may increase demand for veterinary services and related health care support, benefiting organizations involved in animal health and potentially overlapping with health systems that provide integrated care.

  • Section 2(i)(1)(B) and (C) define eligible veterans as those with mobility issues, mental health conditions, or other disabilities where a service dog assists in independent living, which aligns with services supporting long-term care and home health, potentially increasing referrals or coordination with long-term care providers.

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: 62%
Pages: 688-691AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The SAVES Act’s goal of expanding access to service dogs for veterans through VA-administered grants directly supports the Project 2025 VA objective of improving veteran health and well-being by enhancing access to complementary therapeutic services."

Key themes:veteran healthservice animal assistancegrant fundingnonprofit partnershipsmental health rehabilitation

— 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: 63%
Pages: 679-681AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The SAVES Act shares the broader goal of improving veterans' health and well-being through VA-administered programs, but it does not directly address the specific Project 2025 reforms such as education programs, innovation office restructuring, caregiver program overhaul, public reporting, audits, or infrastructure review."

Key themes:veterans' healthVA administrationinnovative carequality of lifegrant-based support

— 646 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 3. Section 121 (developing and administering an education program that teaches veterans about their health care options available from the Department of Veterans Affairs). 4. Section 152 (returning the Office for Innovation of Care and Payment to the Office of Enterprise Integration with a joint governance process set up with the VHA). 5. Section 161 (overhauling Family Caregiver Program expansion, which has gone poorly, so that it focuses on consistency of eligibility and awareness that the most severely wounded or injured may require the program indefinitely). l Require the VHA to report publicly on all aspects of its operation, including quality, safety, patient experience, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness, using standards similar to those in the Medicare Accountable Care Organization program so that the government may monitor and achieve continuous improvement in the VA system more effectively. l Encourage VA Medical Centers to seek out relevant academic and private- sector input in their communities to improve the overall patient experience. Budget l Conduct an independent audit of the VA similar to the 2018 Department of Defense (DOD) audit to identify IT, management, financial, contracting, and other deficiencies. l Assess the misalignment of VHA facilities and rising infrastructure costs. The VHA operates 172 inpatient medical facilities nationally that are an average of 60 years old. Some of these facilities are underutilized and inadequately staffed. Facilities in certain urban and rural areas are seeing significant declines in the veteran population and strong competition for fresh medical staff. In 2018, Congress authorized an Asset Infrastructure Review (AIR) of national VHA medical markets to provide insight into where the VA health care budget should be responsibly allocated to serve veterans most effectively. However, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee lacked the political will to act on the White House’s nominations of commission members, and this ultimately led to termination of the AIR process. The next Administration should seek out agile, creative, and politically acceptable operational solutions to this aging infrastructure status quo,

Department of Veterans Affairs

Moderate
Vector: 62%
Pages: 676-678AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The SAVES Act aligns with Project 2025's focus on improving VA healthcare delivery and supporting veterans' well-being through expanded access to beneficial services, particularly for aging and transitioning veteran populations. While not directly addressing the specific reforms outlined in the VA section (such as rescinding clinical directives or IT modernization), it supports veteran rehabilitation and quality of life, which are consistent with broader goals of effective veteran care."

Key themes:veteran healthcare accessveteran well-beingsupport for aging veteransnonprofit-veteran partnershipsrehabilitation services

— 643 — Department of Veterans Affairs with a growth in same-day surgical procedures and outpatient care, so has the VA, and in 2018 Congress added access to private-sector urgent care outlets as one of the VA’s health care benefits. Today, the VA operates 172 inpatient VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), which are an average of 60 years old, and 1,113 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), which are newer facilities designed to meet the needs of veterans closer to home. The VA also manages a Community Care Network (CCN) through contracts with Optum and TriWest, third-party health care administrators responsible for build- ing and maintaining a robust population of community providers to meet the needs of veterans referred for care outside of the VA system. Currently, approximately 6.4 million veterans out of 18 million nationally (and out of the 9.1 million who are enrolled) use the VA for health care; the remainder use employer-sponsored plans, Tricare, Medicare, and Medicaid. The disability benefits system evolved significantly in the years between the Cold War era and the global war on terrorism, a period when the VA enrolled large numbers of veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam who were seeking disability benefits and health care. Disability compensation is the largest VA benefit, but there also are dozens of others, the next largest of which are the GI Bill and the Home Loan Guaranty. These benefits are administered through 56 Regional Benefits Offices (RBOs) and hundreds of satellite sites around the country. The Agent Orange Act of 19914 significantly expanded the scope of disability ben- efits for those who had deployed to Vietnam, and the cost of those benefits began to increase dramatically as the Vietnam generation of veterans aged and began to expe- rience adverse health conditions, some of which were presumed to have been caused by defoliant chemicals used in Southeast Asia. In 2016 and 2017, a burdensome backlog of appeals of denied disability claims from multiple wartime generations—a backlog numbering in the hundreds of thousands—led to a joint effort by the VA, Vet- eran Service Organizations (VSOs), and Congress to pass legislation that streamlined appeal processes. Implemented in 2017, this historic “good governance” success has helped the VA to reduce the number of these appeals dramatically. The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 20225 addressed adverse health outcomes presumed to be the result of veterans’ exposure to airborne toxins during the global war on terrorism and further expanded disability benefits to the most recent gen- eration of veterans. These ambitious authorities, like the 1991 authorities, have the potential to overwhelm the VA’s ability to process new disability claims and adjudicate appeals. Currently, the VA is seeking to hire large numbers of personnel to process these claims while exploring the use of an automated process to accel- erate claims reviews and decisions. The ever-present lag in the hiring and training of new employees could result in major problems with the timely adjudication of benefits well into the next Administration in 2025. — 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

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