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S. 3224: VA Research Approval Efficiency Act of 2020

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S. 3224: VA Research Approval Efficiency Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-01-21 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-01-21 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

VA Research Approval Efficiency Act of 2020

Plain summary

VA Research Approval Efficiency Act of 2020 This bill addresses clinical research procedures within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, the bill requires the VA to complete policy revisions within the internal directive titled Requirements for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research to allow sponsored clinical research of the VA to use accredited commercial institutional review boards to review VA research proposal protocols. The VA must identify accredited commercial institutional review boards for use in connection with sponsored clinical research of the VA and establish a process to modify existing approvals if a board loses its accreditation during an ongoing clinical trial. The bill also requires the VA to establish an Office of Research Reviews within the VA's Office of Information and Technology. The office shall (1) perform centralized security reviews and complete security processes for approved research sponsored outside the VA, (2) develop and maintain a list of commercially available software preferred for use in sponsored clinical trials of the VA, (3) ensure such software list is maintained as part of the official approved software products list, and (4) develop benchmarks for time lines for security reviews.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

VA Research Approval Efficiency Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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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: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] reported raising $6.7 million (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)
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).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Sponsor and cosponsor
The sponsor is the member who introduces a bill and leads it. Cosponsors are other members who sign on to show support.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-s3224 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116