The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Hearing on Veterans' Access to Congressional Services and Digital Tools
Record date · January 1, 2019
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
The House held a hearing to discuss two bills aimed at improving how veterans interact with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The proposed legislation focuses on allowing members of Congress to meet with veterans inside VA facilities and requiring the VA to make its websites and digital tools accessible to veterans with disabilities.
The hearing addresses potential changes to federal law that would allow veterans to meet with their elected representatives at local VA facilities and mandate that the VA update its digital platforms to be usable by veterans with disabilities.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Veterans
Veterans would gain new options for meeting with representatives at VA facilities and potentially improved access to VA digital services.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The VA would be required to provide office space for congressional meetings and conduct a comprehensive audit and remediation of its digital platforms.
Members of Congress
Members would be granted formal access to VA facilities to conduct constituent services.
Key Facts
- H.R. 5413, the Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2018, proposes requiring the VA to allow members of Congress to use space within VA facilities to meet with veteran constituents.
- H.R. 6418, the VA Website Accessibility Act of 2018, proposes requiring the VA to audit all websites, apps, and electronic forms for accessibility issues and create a plan to fix them for veterans with disabilities.
- The hearing took place on September 13, 2018, in the Cannon House Office Building.
- H.R. 5413 is intended to build upon an existing pilot agreement between the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center and certain members of Congress.
Show all 5 facts
- The hearing included testimony from the Blinded Veterans Association, The American Legion, and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the goal of H.R. 5413?
What would H.R. 6418 change for veterans?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Congressional Access
The hearing highlights a move to formalize and expand a pilot program that allowed congressional meetings within VA facilities.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools