H.R. 476: VET Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-01-12 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-01-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. 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

VET Act

Plain summary

Veterans Emergency Treatment Act or the VET Act This bill requires that a veteran enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care program who requests a medical examination or treatment at an emergency department of a VA medical facility be provided with a medical screening examination to determine whether an emergency medical condition exists and, if so, stabilizing medical treatment or a transfer to another VA or non-VA medical facility. If a non-stabilized emergency medical condition exists, the VA hospital may not transfer the veteran unless: (1) the veteran, after being made aware of the risks, makes a written transfer request; or (2) a physician (or a qualified medical person if a physician is not present) certifies that the medical benefits of a transfer outweigh the risks. The VA may not take adverse action against a VA employee because the employee refuses to authorize the transfer of an enrolled veteran with a non-stabilized emergency medical condition or because the employee reports a violation of a requirement of this bill. A VA or non-VA medical facility may not delay provision of an appropriate medical screening examination or further medical examination and treatment required in order to inquire about the payment method or insurance status of an enrolled veteran.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

VET Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] · 19 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Roger Marshall (R-KS), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), Jim Banks (R-IN), David Rouzer (R-NC), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Tom Cole (R-OK)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] reported raising $724,106 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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 House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr476.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr476 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115