Text of Senate Amendment 5828

On 2026-06-16, Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 5828" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 5828

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 101 (Tuesday, June 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 101 (Tuesday, June 16, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2859-S2861] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5828. Mr. KING submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in title VII, insert the following: SEC. 7__. PRE-TRANSITION HEALTH CARE REGISTRATION OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO STREAMLINE RECEIPT OF HEALTH CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. (a) Health Care Pre-Registration.-- (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1705A the following new section: ``Sec. 1705B. Management of health care: registration in pre- transition system and facilitation of enrollment ``(a) Pre-Transition System.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days before the anticipated separation from the Armed Forces of a member of the Armed Forces, the Secretary shall automatically register such member in the pre-transition health care registration system. ``(2) Registration.--Registration of a member of the Armed Forces in the pre-transition health care registration system under paragraph (1) shall consist of the entry of relevant information of such member into such system so as to facilitate and permit, at a future date, a final determination with respect to the enrollment of such member in the patient enrollment system if such member elects to enroll in the patient enrollment system and is eligible to enroll in the patient enrollment system. ``(b) Facilitation of Enrollment in Patient Enrollment System.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after separation of a covered individual from the Armed Forces, or as soon as feasibly possible following such separation, the Secretary shall engage with such individual-- ``(A) to assist and facilitate the completion of the process for enrollment of such individual in the patient enrollment system, to include the appropriate electronic or paper forms; and ``(B) to schedule an initial primary care or other health appointment for such individual under the laws administered by the Secretary if the individual is interested in such an appointment. ``(2) Communication efforts.--Communication to a covered individual under paragraph (1) shall be conducted through a combination of effective mechanisms to include by electronic means through email and text message, paper mail, and by phone. ``(3) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the term `covered individual' means an individual who-- ``(A) is eligible for or expected to be eligible for enrollment in the patient enrollment system; and ``(B) is not yet enrolled in such system. ``(c) Outreach.-- ``(1) Pre-transition.-- ``(A) In general.--To the greatest extent feasible, the Secretary shall conduct timely outreach to members of the Armed Forces registered in the pre-transition health care registration system, in advance of their separation from the Armed Forces, to explain-- ``(i) what such registration means in practical terms; [[Page S2860]] ``(ii) what steps each such member will need to take after separation from the Armed Forces to fully enroll, if eligible, in the patient enrollment system; ``(iii) health care services that may be available to such member upon enrollment in such system, including the general rules of eligibility for such services; ``(iv) health care services that may be available to such member regardless of enrollment in such system, including counseling for military sexual trauma and services from Vet Centers (as defined in section 1712A of this title), including the general rules of eligibility for such services; and ``(v) the steps required to access services described in clauses (iii) and (iv). ``(B) Outreach efforts.--Outreach to a member of the Armed Forces required under subparagraph (A) shall be conducted through a combination of effective mechanisms, including by electronic means through email and text message, paper mail, and by phone. ``(2) After enrollment.-- ``(A) In general.--Not less frequently than once during the 180-day period following the enrollment of an individual in the patient enrollment system, the Secretary shall contact any such individual who has not scheduled a primary care appointment or other health appointment under the laws administered by the Secretary and offer to schedule such appointment should such individual be interested in doing so. ``(B) Conduct of outreach.--The Secretary may conduct outreach under subparagraph (A) as part of the Solid Start program under section 6320 of this title, other existing processes of the Department, or any new process as the Secretary determines appropriate. ``(d) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Patient enrollment system.--The term `patient enrollment system' means the system of annual patient enrollment of the Department established and operated under section 1705(a) of this title. ``(2) Pre-transition health care registration system.--The term `pre-transition health care registration system' means an information technology or other system or systems of the Department in which the Department enters or stores the relevant information of a transitioning member of the Armed Forces so as to facilitate and permit, at a future date, a final enrollment determination with respect to the enrollment of such member in the patient enrollment system.''. (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1705A the following new item: ``1705B. Management of health care: registration in pre-transition system and facilitation of enrollment.''. (3) Effective date.--This subsection and the amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and apply to any member of the Armed Forces who is anticipated to separate from the Armed Forces on and after the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. (b) Establishment of System.-- (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish and implement an automated process to implement the pre-transition health care registration system required under section 1705B(a) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1). (2) Briefings on initial implementation.--Not later than each of 180 days, one year, and two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee established under section 320 of title 38, United States Code, shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the implementation of the process required under paragraph (1). (c) Coordination With Department of Defense.-- (1) In general.--In implementing the requirements of this section and the amendments made by this section, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may integrate and coordinate such implementation with the Solid Start program of the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 6320 of title 38, United States Code, other existing processes of the Department, or any new process as the Secretary determines appropriate to ensure collaboration and coordination with relevant programs of the Department of Defense. (2) Inclusion in transition assistance program.--On and after the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall include an explanation of the pre-transition health care registration system required under section 1705B of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), as part of the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense. (d) Requirement to Create and Maintain Simple and Streamlined Process for Pre-Registration and Enrollment.-- (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make enrollment in the patient enrollment system, including pre-transition health care registration under section 1705B of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1), a simple and streamlined process for all transitioning members of the Armed Forces and veterans-- (A) to facilitate access to and utilization of services from the Department of Veterans Affairs to which such individuals are entitled; (B) to ensure such individuals have a healthy and smooth transition out of the Armed Forces into civilian life as veterans; (C) to support the mental and physical health of such individuals; and (D) to reduce, to the greatest extent possible, veteran suicide. (2) Improvement of process.--The Secretary shall continuously monitor, improve, and modernize the process described in paragraph (1). (e) Outreach and Engagement.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall-- (1) proactively conduct outreach to transitioning and recently transitioned members of the Armed Forces to assist such members in enrolling in the patient enrollment system; (2) proactively and regularly engage with veterans already enrolled in the patient enrollment system to offer assistance in accessing health care services under such system; (3) proactively and regularly engage with veterans who may not be eligible for enrollment in the patient enrollment system but may be eligible to access certain specific health services of the Department; (4) proactively engage with veterans from traditionally under-represented groups, to include women veterans, minority veterans, Native American veterans, Native Hawaiian ve