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<dc:title>119 HR 8372 IH: El Paso VA Medical Center Activation Readiness Act of 2026</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2026-04-20</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">119th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">2d Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 8372</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20260420">April 20, 2026</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="E000299">Ms. Escobar</sponsor> (for herself and <cosponsor name-id="L000603">Mr. Luttrell</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HVR00">Committee on Veterans' Affairs</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide to certain congressional committees a briefing on the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in El Paso, Texas, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body id="HD0F70E9CA8154653B5FA988CAC2DAC69" style="OLC"> 
<section id="H2AD02BBF768549CDAB280989DC455E72" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header>
 <text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>El Paso VA Medical Center Activation Readiness Act of 2026</short-title></quote>.</text></section> 
<section id="HE0DC01C7B4AB40A9A5A9C20552F0AC44"><enum>2.</enum><header>Briefing on medical center of Department of Veterans Affairs in El Paso, Texas</header> 
<subsection id="H27CFA9B4842F4B82A5A019F0B1B5EB6C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs under construction in El Paso, Texas, which shall include information on the following with respect to such center:</text> <paragraph id="H94C9FF7025AD4550AA780F346EC89BFB" commented="no"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Staffing requirements and recruitment plans, including with respect to both clinical and support staff.</text> </paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H37401965380E40058F5A3E122696F341" commented="no"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Workforce stability and hiring capacity, including any impacts of workforce restructuring, hiring limitations, or reductions in force on the ability of the Secretary to recruit, retain, and fully staff the medical center.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HFD948D736BEB49CD95ADD511675C6603"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The timeline for the procurement and installation of medical equipment.</text></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H1EFED0F393E747BFB36268550D195E04"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The specialty care services to be furnished to veterans.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1F64F369B56B4A898C30B4CF3D678335" commented="no"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The demand for care in the area to be served.</text></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H1A02B18C13394B1DAA7F9E86D6F04222"><enum>(6)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any plans to transfer the care of veterans from other facilities or providers.</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="HAF757F7B88FF4610BA02F78233B438DA"><enum>(7)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any plans to coordinate with medical facilities of the Department of Defense, including the William Beaumont Army Medical Center, to ensure continuity of care.</text></paragraph> 
<paragraph id="H206E8127B39B4186AABFBDB137CD5B37" commented="no"><enum>(8)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any access or travel issues for recipients of care from both rural and urban communities and plans to address such issues, including through coordination with transportation providers and municipalities and other government entities.</text></paragraph> </subsection> <subsection id="H67970B90DF4A41CF8588816A8FF9670D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Appropriate congressional committees defined</header><text>In this section, the term <quote>appropriate congressional committees</quote> means—</text> 
<paragraph id="HA5DC9504586A48649C2C7DEE84A1C305"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives; and</text></paragraph> <paragraph id="H1EEC3A4CA20A4920A33E02652B67E6F5"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives.</text></paragraph> </subsection> </section> 
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