[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 166 (Monday, November 9, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S7866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2787. Mr. SULLIVAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2763 proposed by Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mr. Tester, and 
Ms. Mikulski) to the bill H.R. 2029, making appropriations for military 
construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ___. (a) Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation by 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs of section 101 of the 
     Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 
     (Public Law 113-146; 38 U.S.C. 1701 note) in rural areas.
       (b) The report required by subsection (a) shall include the 
     following:
       (1) An identification of average wait times for veterans in 
     rural areas to receive health care under such section 101, 
     measured from when the veteran first calls the Department to 
     schedule an appointment.
       (2) An assessment of utilization rates for health care 
     provided under such section 101 in rural areas.
       (3) An assessment of the accessibility of veterans in rural 
     areas to primary and specialty care at medical centers of the 
     Department and from non-Department health care providers 
     under such section 101.
       (4) An identification of the number of health care 
     providers providing health care under such section 101 in 
     each Veterans Integrated Service Network.
       (5) An assessment of the status of any pilot programs 
     created by the Department to provide care under such section 
     101 in rural areas.
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