A resolution recognizing that care provided by employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs is essential for meeting the health care needs of veterans of the United States.

Senate Resolution

S.Res. 566

119th Congress

A resolution recognizing that care provided by employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs is essential for meeting the health care needs of veterans of the United States.

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimou

Introduced:Dec 17, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Richard Blumenthal

D - CT

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Summary

This Senate resolution, passed unanimously, formally recognizes that VA employees are essential for meeting veterans' health care needs. It cites data showing VA hospitals outperform non-VA hospitals in quality ratings, that veteran trust in VA outpatient care is nearly 92%, and that veterans receiving VA care have lower suicide rates (7.0/day) than those not in VA care (10.5/day).

Latest Action

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8874; text: CR S8874)

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This Senate resolution, passed unanimously, formally recognizes that VA employees are essential for meeting veterans' health care needs. It cites data showing VA hospitals outperform non-VA hospitals in quality ratings, that veteran trust in VA outpatient care is nearly 92%, and that veterans receiving VA care have lower suicide rates (7.0/day) than those not in VA care (10.5/day).

Last updated: 12/26/2025

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

VA serves more than 7 million patients as of 2025
Veteran trust in VA outpatient care is nearly 92%
VA hospitals outperform non-VA hospitals in CMS star ratings since 2023
Veterans in VA care: 7.0 suicides/day vs 10.5/day for other veterans (2022 data)
VA is the largest educator of health care professionals in the U.S.
Passed unanimously, affirming bipartisan support for VA employees

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This resolution directly affects the 450,000+ VA employees and the 7 million+ veterans they serve. It sends a signal of congressional support for VA staff amid potential budget pressures. The resolution implicitly pushes back against privatization efforts by emphasizing VA's superior quality metrics and the importance of direct VA care. Veterans' organizations benefit from official recognition of VA care quality.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

566, 119th Congress (2025). "A resolution recognizing that care provided by employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs is essential for meeting the health care needs of veterans of the United States.". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-sres-566