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To amend title 38, United States Code, to automatically enroll eligible veterans in the patient enrollment system of Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to automatically enroll newly separated and discharged veterans in the VA patient enrollment system within 60 days of receiving information from the Department of Defense. The VA must notify each newly enrolled veteran by mail and email within 60 days of enrollment, providing instructions on how to opt out or enroll later, with text messaging considered as an additional notification method. By August 1, 2026, the VA must provide veterans with electronic certificates of eligibility and electronic opt-out mechanisms for automatic enrollment. The bill applies to veterans separated or discharged on or after 90 days before enactment, provided the VA receives their information from the Department of Defense after enactment. The VA must submit a report to Congress within one year describing implementation challenges and solutions, and the Government Accountability Office must study optimal notification methods based on veteran age and geographic location within 180 days of enactment.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] (D-CA)
3 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Mark Takano’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $20,150
- PAFCO $13,200
- VETERANS UNITED HOME LOANS $11,600
- ESRI $7,910
- THOMAS SAFRAN & ASSOCIATES $7,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Mark Takano → · Outside spending →
Actions (6)
- May 20, 2026 Committee Hearings Held · house
- Mar 18, 2026 Committee Hearings Held · house
- Mar 18, 2026 Subcommittee on Health Discharged · house
- Dec 19, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. · house
- Jun 24, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · house
- Jun 24, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 24, 2025
Mr. Takano introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to automatically enroll eligible veterans in the patient enrollment system of Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
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 “Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act” or the “EVEST Act”.
SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF ELIGIBLE VETERANS IN PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.—Section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(d)(1) The Secretary shall enroll each veteran described in subsection (a) in the patient enrollment system under this section not later than 60 days after receiving the information described in paragraph (2) regarding the veteran.
“(2) The information described in this paragraph is the information—
“(A) regarding a veteran that the Secretary determines is necessary to so enroll a veteran; and
“(B) transmitted to the Secretary under section 1142(e) of title 10.
“(3) Not later than 60 days after enrolling a veteran under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide to the veteran—
“(A) notice of such enrollment;
“(B) instructions regarding how the veteran may opt out of such enrollment;
“(C) instructions regarding how the veteran may elect to enroll at a later date.
“(4) In carrying out paragraph (3), the Secretary shall—
“(A) provide a notice or instructions in the form of a physical copy delivered by mail and, to the extent practical, in the form of an electronic copy delivered by electronic mail; and
“(B) consider using, to the extent practical, mass texting capabilities through mobile telephones.”.
(b) Applicability.—Subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply to a veteran—
(1) who is discharged or separated from the Armed Forces on or after the date that is 90 days before the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(2) with respect to whom the Secretary receives the information described in paragraph (2) of such subsection on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Electronic Certificates of Eligibility.—Not later than August 1, 2026, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that any veteran who is eligible for automatic enrollment in the patient enrollment system under subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), is able to access—
(1) an electronic version of the veteran’s certificate of eligibility for such enrollment; and
(2) an electronic mechanism by which the veteran may opt out of such enrollment.
(d) Report on Automatic Enrollment.—
(1) In general.—Not later than one year after the first veteran is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs under subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection
(a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the enrollment process under such subsection. Such report shall include each of the following:
(A) A discussion of any anticipated challenges that occurred in implementing such subsection, the strategies used to address such challenges, and the effectiveness of such strategies.
(B) A discussion of any unanticipated challenges that occurred in implementing such subsection, the strategies used to address such challenges, and the effectiveness of such strategies.
(C) Any additional information the Secretary determines appropriate, including information that may be useful to other Federal departments and agencies considering the implementation of similar automatic enrollment programs.
(2) Form of report.—The report required under paragraph
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
SEC. 3. GAO REPORT ON NOTICE OF AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT IN PATIENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the results of a study to determine the best methods for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide notice under paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 2. In making such determination, the Comptroller General shall consider the needs of a veteran based on—
(1) age;
(2) residence in an urban area; and
(3) residence in an rural area. <all>
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