{"format":1,"id":"117-hr-4673","congress":117,"number":"H.R. 4673","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"EVEST Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the automatic enrollment of eligible veterans in patient enrollment system of Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the automatic enrollment of eligible veterans in patient enrollment system of Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"EVEST Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"EVEST Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"EVEST Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"EVEST Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"EVEST Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2021-07-22","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2022-01-20","vote":{"id":"117-2022-h14","question":"On Passage","title":"EVEST Act","result":"Passed","yea":265,"nay":163,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll014.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.","date":"2022-01-20"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[{"number":"H.Amdt. 155","sponsor":"Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16]","purpose":"Amendment extends automatic enrollment to veterans who were discharged within 90 days before the enactment of this Act.","result":"Agreed to","date":"2022-01-20","yea":228,"nay":198,"present":0,"not_voting":7,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll012.xml"}],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2022-01-20","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Agreed to","yea":228,"nay":198,"present":0,"not_voting":7,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll012.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2022-01-20","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"EVEST Act","result":"Failed","yea":206,"nay":221,"present":0,"not_voting":6,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2022/roll013.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2022-01-20","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition Act or the EVEST Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to automatically enroll veterans who are eligible for VA health care into the VA health care system upon the receipt of information from the Defense Manpower Data Center of the Department of Defense that proves eligibility of such veterans for enrollment."},{"k":"p","t":"The VA must provide a veteran notice that the veteran has been enrolled, instructions on how the veteran may elect to opt out of such enrollment, and instructions for how such veteran may elect to enroll at a later date."},{"k":"p","t":"Notice or instructions must be provided in a physical copy and, as is practical, in an electronic copy. Additionally, the VA must consider using mass texting capabilities to provide the notice and relevant instructions required by this bill."},{"k":"p","t":"The provisions of the bill apply to veterans who are discharged or separated from the Armed Forces on or after the date that is 90 days before this bill's enactment."},{"k":"p","t":"Any veteran who is eligible for automatic enrollment must be able to access an electronic version of the certificate of eligibility and an electronic mechanism to opt out of such enrollment."},{"k":"p","t":"The Government Accountability Office must report on the best methods for the VA to provide notice regarding a veteran's automatic enrollment in the VA health care system and related instructions."}],"words":228},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enroll eligible veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs patient enrollment system based on information from the Defense Manpower Data Center, and to notify them of the enrollment.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh#H92631997E2294227AF1619F4CB36DF63"},{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh#HF76034BD6887409DA825A88934DEB954"}]},"core_areas":["Automatic enrollment of veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs patient enrollment system","Notice and opt-out instructions for automatically enrolled veterans","Reports to Congress on automatic enrollment and notice methods"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Amends section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary to enroll each veteran described in subsection (a) in the patient enrollment system within 60 days after receiving eligibility information on the veteran.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh#H92631997E2294227AF1619F4CB36DF63"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary, within 60 days after enrolling a veteran, to give the veteran notice of enrollment, instructions for opting out, and instructions for electing to enroll at a later date.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh#H92631997E2294227AF1619F4CB36DF63"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to ensure by August 1, 2022 that a veteran eligible for automatic enrollment can access an electronic certificate of eligibility and an electronic way to opt out of enrollment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh#H92631997E2294227AF1619F4CB36DF63"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress, within 1 year after the first veteran is enrolled, on the enrollment process, including challenges that occurred in implementing it and the strategies used to address them.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh#H92631997E2294227AF1619F4CB36DF63"}},{"text":"Requires the Comptroller General to submit a report to Congress within 180 days after enactment on the best methods for the Secretary to provide the enrollment notice, considering veterans' needs based on age and on urban or rural residence.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh#HF76034BD6887409DA825A88934DEB954"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2022-01-20","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4673/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-hr-4673.png","v":"a871d6640307","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 4673, 117th Congress: EVEST Act. House: 265 Yea, 163 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 20 Jan 2022."}}