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Advancing VA’s Emergency Response to (AVERT) Crises Act of 2025
To improve the emergency management capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Summary
The Advancing VA's Emergency Response to Crises Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit three reports to Congress assessing its emergency management capabilities and coordination with other agencies. The first report, due within 180 days, must describe the roles and responsibilities of VA offices involved in emergency management, including analysis of potential consolidation into a centralized office. The second report, also due within 180 days, must assess the VA's Regional Readiness Centers, including inventory status, operational costs, and capacity to respond to various types of emergencies. The third report, due within 90 days, must address limitations and opportunities for coordination and resource-sharing between the VA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency during emergencies. The reports are designed to identify improvements to the VA's emergency preparedness and response structure.
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)
2 cosponsors
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI)
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Richard Blumenthal’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $9,500
- FREEPOINT COMMODITIES LLC $6,600
- ALIX PARTNERS $6,600
- PALANTIR $6,600
- KRUX INC. $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Richard Blumenthal → · Outside spending →
Actions (4)
- Mar 18, 2026 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. · senate
- Dec 10, 2025 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-247. · senate
- Jul 14, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · senate
- Jul 14, 2025 Introduced in Senate
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.
Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
- Business meeting to consider S.342, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize an individual who is awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed Forces to transfer unused Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to a family member, S.410, to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to improve benefits and services for surviving spouses, S.649, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to members of the National Guard who perform certain full-time duty, S.1116, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the provision of certain additional burial benefits for individuals for whom an urn or plaque is furnished, S.1657, to amend title 38, United States Code, to limit the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to deny the claim of a veteran for benefits under the laws administered by such Secretary on the sole basis that such veteran failed to appear for a medical examination associated with such claim, S.1665, to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure veterans of secrecy oath programs receive the full benefits they have earned, S.1726, to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify that the Department of Veterans Affairs definition of "medical services" includes medically necessary automobile adaptations, S.1868, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access by veterans to critical access hospitals and affiliated clinics under the Veterans Community Care Program, S.2061, to require the Interagency Working Group on Toxic Exposure to conduct research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces, S.2220, to expand presumptions of exposure by members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances, S.2264, to improve the emergency management capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.2309, to direct a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certify the death of a veteran not later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns of such death, S.2328, to authorize the use of veterans educational assistance for examinations and assessments to receive credit toward degrees awarded by institutions of higher learning, S.2333, to require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit supplementation of health records of deceased veterans, S.2397, to require implementation by the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain recommendations relating to the provision of health care through community care providers, S.2683, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, S.2807, to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the applicability of the authority to reconsider decisions of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of the Army to inter remains or honor the memory of a person in a national cemetery, S.2981, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of prosthetic and rehabilitative items and services by the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.3033, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish partnerships between medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and medical facilities in rural areas, S.3119, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for members of the Armed Forces, other individuals on active duty, and family members of such individuals on a space-available basis, S.3138, to amend title 38, United States Code, to include adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities in the medical services furnished to eligible veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, S.3303, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to establish or enhance a community integration platform for services for veterans, to require the collection from veterans of information related to social determinants of health, S.3758, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make opioid overdose rescue medications available to veterans and their caregivers, and a committee resolution.
- Hearings to examine S.342, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize an individual who is awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Armed Forces to transfer unused Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to a family member, S.668, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the Office of Falls Prevention of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.926, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a program to furnish to certain veterans items used for the secure storage of firearms, S.1116, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the provision of certain additional burial benefits for individuals for whom an urn or plaque is furnished, S.1657, to amend title 38, United States Code, to limit the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to deny the claim of a veteran for benefits under the laws administered by such Secretary on the sole basis that such veteran failed to appear for a medical examination associated with such claim, S.1665, to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure veterans of secrecy oath programs receive the full benefits they have earned, S.1868, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand access by veterans to critical access hospitals and affiliated clinics under the Veterans Community Care Program, S.1992, to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of adjudications and appeals of claims for benefits under laws administered by Secretary of Veterans Affairs, S.2061, to require the Interagency Working Group on Toxic Exposure to conduct research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces, S.2220, to expand presumptions of exposure by members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances, S.2264, to improve the emergency management capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, S.2309, to direct a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certify the death of a veteran not later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns of such death, S.2328, to authorize the use of veterans educational assistance for examinations and assessments to receive credit toward degrees awarded by institutions of higher learning, S.2333, to require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit supplementation of health records of deceased veterans, S.2397, to require implementation by the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain recommendations relating to the provision of health care through community care providers, S.2683, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, S.2737, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a pilot program to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy to certain veterans through community care providers, S.2807, to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the applicability of the authority to reconsider decisions of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of the Army to inter remains or honor the memory of a person in a national cemetery, S.3033, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish partnerships between medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and medical facilities in rural areas, S.3119, to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make temporary lodging facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs available for members of the Armed Forces, other individuals on active duty, and family members of such individuals on a space-available basis, S.3303, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to establish or enhance a community integration platform for services for veterans, to require the collection from veterans of information related to social determinants of health, an original bill entitled, "Sharing Essential Resources for Veterans Everywhere (SERVE) Act', an original bill entitled, "Commission on Equity and Reconciliation in the Uniformed Services Act", and an original bill entitled, "Get Justice Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act".
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 14, 2025
Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Ms. Hirono) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To improve the emergency management capabilities of the 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 “Advancing VA’s Emergency Response to (AVERT) Crises Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ROLES FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report outlining the roles and responsibilities of all offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs involved with emergency management.
(b) Consultation.—In preparing the report required by subsection
(a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consult with the Comptroller General of the United States, the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and such other Federal agencies as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs considers relevant, to obtain insights from their experience and trends that they have found, and such recommendations as they may have with respect to the management by the Department of Veterans Affairs of emergency management functions.
(c) Contents.—The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) A description of the organizational structure of each office, both during normal operations and during emergency or disaster operations.
(2) The roles and responsibilities of each office.
(3) A detailed description of roles and responsibilities that are shared by both the Office of Emergency Management of the Department and the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness of the Department, including an analysis of how each office plays a part in emergency management functions.
(4) Recommendations for improving the structure and alignment of relevant offices to better prepare the Department for emergencies, remove redundancies, and improve accountability.
(5) An analysis of the feasibility and advisability of consolidating relevant offices into one centralized emergency management office to improve communication and streamline emergency preparedness and response efforts of the Department.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON REGIONAL READINESS CENTERS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the Regional Readiness Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(b) Contents.—The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) The number of requests made by facilities of the Department to obtain supplies from a Regional Readiness Center since the inception of the Regional Readiness Center program, disaggregated by Regional Readiness Center.
(2) Information on types and amounts of material distributed since the inception of the Regional Readiness Center program, disaggregated by Regional Readiness Center.
(3) Current inventory, disaggregated by Regional Readiness Center.
(4) An overview of the change in inventory in each Regional Readiness Center during the two-year period ending on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(5) The percentage of inventory that is expired or that will expire in the next month, disaggregated by Regional Readiness Center.
(6) Operational costs since the inception of the Regional Readiness Center program, disaggregated by Regional Readiness Center.
(7) An analysis of the types and sizes of emergencies, including natural disasters, public health emergencies, or Fourth Mission activations of the Department, with respect to which each Regional Readiness Center would be able to provide sufficient resources to respond to, based on the current capacity of the Regional Readiness Center.
(8) Any plans of the Secretary to realign or change the number of Regional Readiness Centers.
SEC. 4. PLAN TO ALLOW FUEL SHARING AND INCREASED COORDINATION BETWEEN THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, after consulting with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs of the Senate, and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a report regarding—
(1) the current limitations preventing the Federal Emergency Management Agency from providing fuel or other resources to the Department of Veterans Affairs during emergencies;
(2) whether the Department requires action by Congress to allow such resource provision to occur;
(3) whether the Secretary has been unable to coordinate with the Administrator during prior emergencies or Fourth Mission activations due to a lack of authority for such coordination; and
(4) whether the Secretary requires action by Congress to address any of the issues mentioned under paragraph (3). <all>
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