Stuck on Hold Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6656) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Commissioner of Social Security to implement automated systems with callback functionality for each customer service telephone line of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration, respectively, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6656

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Stuck On Hold Act''. SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS REGARDING WAIT TIMES FOR CALLERS TO CERTAIN SERVICE TELEPHONE LINES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Automated System.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement, for each covered line, an automated system that--

(1) informs any caller to a covered line about the anticipated wait time, if any; and

(2) automatically offers a callback to any such caller with an anticipated wait time of more than 10 minutes.

(b) Guidance Regarding Caller Wait Times.--The Secretary shall issue such guidance the Secretary determines necessary to reduce the average wait time of a caller to a covered line to not more than 10 minutes.

(c) Covered Line Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered line'' means a customer service telephone line of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such term does not include--

(1) the toll-free hotline for veterans provided by the Secretary under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code; or

(2) a phone line for the emergency department of a health care facility of the Department.

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Mr. BOST. 6656, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6656, offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), my good friend and colleague.

The Stuck on Hold Act would require the VA to implement an automated callback system. This bill would inform veterans of the expected wait time for their call to be answered. This change would make life easier for veterans while ensuring the VA responds to them in a timely manner.

During my time in Congress, I have long heard horror stories from veterans about waiting on hold for over an hour to talk to someone at the VA. That is unacceptable in today's digital age, and the VA needs to do better.

Representative Calvert's bill is in lockstep with the House Republicans' effort to modernize VA care and services. I thank the VFW and DAV for their support of this bipartisan legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6656, as amended.
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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