[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 83 (Monday, May 16, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H4997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PATIENT ADVOCATE TRACKER ACT

  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5754) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
ability of veterans to electronically submit complaints about the 
delivery of health care services by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5754

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Patient Advocate Tracker 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT 
                   THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       Section 7309A(c) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) Beginning not later than 18 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this paragraph, the Director shall establish 
     an information technology system that will allow a veteran 
     (or the designated representative of a veteran) to 
     electronically--
       ``(A) file a complaint that will be received by the 
     appropriate patient advocate; and
       ``(B) at any time view the status of the complaint, 
     including interim and final actions that have been taken to 
     address the complaint.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Trone) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5754.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5754, the Patient 
Advocate Tracker Act, sponsored by the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. 
McClain).
  This bill will require VA to create a system to allow veterans to 
electronically submit complaints about the delivery of VA healthcare 
services and to track the resolution of those complaints by local VA 
patient advocates through an online system in real time. VA's existing 
IT system only allows VA employees to track complaint resolution, but 
not patients.
  This bill has garnered the bipartisan support of an impressive 115 
cosponsors since it was introduced 7 months ago. H.R. 5754 is also 
endorsed by numerous veterans service organizations, including the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed 
Veterans of America, and Student Veterans of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5754, the Patient Advocate 
Tracker Act. This is an excellent piece of legislation that is the 
brainchild of a veteran named Cameron Zbikowski.
  Cameron worked on VA's patient advocate program as a student veteran 
fellow for the VFW and Student Veterans of America. During his 
fellowship, he recognized that veterans would be better served if they 
could submit complaints to VA patient advocates online and track the 
status of those complaints online as well.
  Cameron was spot on, and this bill will require VA to make that 
happen. This will make patient advocates more accessible to veterans 
than ever before, and it will increase the transparency and 
accountability of the VA patient advocacy program so that we can make 
sure that it is working as it should for veterans across the country.
  I know Cameron is watching today, and from one veteran to another, I 
thank him for his great work.
  This bill is sponsored by the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. 
McClain). I thank her for her hard work on this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a proud supporter of this bill today, and I hope 
that all of my colleagues will join me in supporting it. I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 5754, the Patient Advocate Tracker Act, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5754.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  May 16, 2022, on page H4997, in the third column the following 
appeared: The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, 
two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. MURPHY 
of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: The SPEAKER pro 
tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the 
affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. 
Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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