Timely Agreements Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9033
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-26: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-05T15:46:18Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 9033: Timely Agreements Act
Purpose
This legislation aims to improve the process for sharing health-care resources between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and State Veterans Homes by setting time limits on certain agreement decisions and protecting State homes from penalties when providing care without a formal agreement in place.
Key Provisions
- Timely Decision Requirement: Requires the VA Secretary to approve or reject proposals from State homes for agreements to purchase pharmaceuticals or durable medical equipment within 60 calendar days of receipt.
- Deemed Approval: If the VA does not act by the deadline, the proposal is automatically approved and takes effect.
- Submission Flexibility: Allows State homes to submit proposals via hand delivery, mail, facsimile, email, or other methods deemed appropriate by the Secretary.
- Standard Template: Mandates creation of a standard proposal template, available within 180 days of enactment.
- Care Without Agreement Protection: Clarifies that State homes providing care to eligible veterans without an active sharing agreement under existing law will not face inspection violations or deficiencies solely due to the absence of an agreement.
- Rejection Flexibility: Allows State homes to submit new proposals even after a rejection, and the VA may still negotiate or approve later ones.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new section (8153a) to Chapter 81 of title 38, United States Code, establishing automatic approval and procedural requirements for specific resource-sharing proposals.
- Amends section 162 of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2022 by adding a subsection that shields State homes from certain compliance issues related to care delivery without agreements.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The VA may face increased administrative pressure to meet decision deadlines, potentially requiring adjustments in processing workflows.
- On Citizens: Veterans receiving care at State homes could experience improved access to pharmaceuticals and equipment due to faster agreements and reduced barriers from lack of formal contracts.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- State Veterans Homes and their operators
- Eligible veterans receiving care at State homes
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Introduces a "deemed approval" mechanism that streamlines bureaucracy but shifts risk to the VA for inaction.
- Reinforces existing authority under section 8153 while adding procedural safeguards, with no apparent conflicts with constitutional principles such as separation of powers.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-26: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2026-05-26: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Timely Agreements Act — issued 2026-05-26 — PDF (4 pages)