H.R. 28: Biological Implant Tracking and Veteran Safety Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-01-03 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-01-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Biological Implant Tracking and Veteran Safety Act of 2017

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Biological Implant Tracking and Veteran Safety Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) adopt the unique device identification system developed for medical devices by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or implement a comparable standard identification system, for identifying biological implants intended for use in VA medical facilities; (2) permit a vendor to use any of the accredited entities identified by the FDA as an issuing agency; (3) implement (within 180 days after enactment of this bill) a compatible system for tracking implants from human donor or animal source to implantation; and (4) implement compatible inventory controls compatible with such tracking system so that patients who have received a biological implant in a VA medical facility subject to FDA recall can be appropriately notified. If the biological implant tracking system is not operational within 180 days, the VA shall report to Congress explaining why the system is not operational each month until it is operational. (Sec. 3) The bill prescribes requirements for vendors from which the VA may procure biological implants of human and non-human origin and for vendors from which the VA may procure biological implants of non-human origin. Such a vendor must: (1) use the standard identification system adopted or implemented by the VA under this Act; (2) be registered as required by FDA procedures; (3) consent to periodic VA inspections and audits regarding records and product handling; (4) agree to cooperate with all biological implant recalls conducted on the vendor's initiative, on the initiative of the original product manufacturer used by the vendor, or by FDA request or statutory order; (5) agree to notify the VA within 60 days of providing any adverse event report to the FDA or receiving any warning letter from the FDA; and (6) agree to retain all records associated with the procurement of a biological implant by the VA for at least 10 years. The VA shall: (1) procure such implants under General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedules unless they are not available under such schedules, (2) accommodate reasonable vendor requests to undertake specified outreach efforts to educate VA medical professionals about the use and efficacy of implants, and (3) procure biological implants that are unavailable under such schedules using competitive procedures in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Any VA procurement employee responsible for making a biological implant procurement transaction with intent to avoid, or with reckless disregard of, the requirements of this bill shall be ineligible to hold a certificate of appointment as a contracting officer or to serve as the representative of an ordering officer, contracting officer, or purchase card holder. Certain biological implants may be temporarily procured by the VA without relabeling under the standard identification system.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Biological Implant Tracking and Veteran Safety Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Ballot initiative: A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
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).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr28.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr28 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115