Before you vote › Federal bills
S. 654: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.
119th Congress · introduced 2025-02-20 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 274.
federal
Official title
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.
Plain summary
This bill establishes within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a national External Provider Scheduling Program to assist the VA in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). The program must consist of technology that allows VA schedulers to view the schedules of health care providers participating in the VCCP in real time. The VA must ensure the program reduces the time (1) from referral to the actual scheduling of appointments for care or services, and (2) for VA schedulers to schedule appointments for care or services. The VA must also ensure the program is available to all VA medical centers by September 30, 2025.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an external provider scheduling program to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in scheduling appointments for care and services under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes.
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text
No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.
Limited to a few requests an hour per person.
The strongest published arguments
Arguments for (supporters)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Arguments against (opponents)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Alternatives
Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Officials and money
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS] · 3 cosponsors
Cosponsors on this site
Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Boozman (R-AR), Ted Budd (R-NC)
Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS] reported raising $1.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
Agencies named in this bill
- Department of Veterans Affairs: its federal spending and other bills that name it
Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.
Words on this page, explained (1)
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119s654.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/s>
Record fed-us-cong119-s654 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills