Stuck On Hold Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6656, the Stuck On Hold Act, legislation I introduced to support American veterans.

This legislation is simple yet powerful in its potential to make government services more accessible to those who served our country.

In a time when technology has advanced significantly in the private sector, it is long overdue that we bring the same level of efficiency and user-friendly approach to our Federal agencies, like the VA.

Right now, when a veteran picks up the phone to call the VA, they often face long, uncertain wait times. They sit on hold, sometimes for hours, with no clear idea of when their call will be answered or how long they will have to wait.

The frustration this causes is immeasurable, and frankly, it is unacceptable.

That is why the Stuck On Hold Act is so crucial. The bill requires the VA to implement a system to inform callers of their estimated wait times and, when those times exceed 10 minutes, give them the option of receiving an automated callback when it is their turn.

Many of us are familiar with this kind of system from our interactions with private companies. It is not a new idea, and it is not revolutionary technology, but for millions of Americans who rely on the VA for benefits or medical treatment, it is a game changer. It shows respect for their time and acknowledges the importance of their needs.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to set acceptable customer service standards for our Federal departments and agencies. The American people, especially those who have served our country, deserve a responsible and efficient government.

That is why the Stuck On Hold Act is supported by the veterans service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, and others.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bost and Ranking Member Takano of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, as well as Chairman Van Orden and Ranking Member Levin of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee and their respective staff for helping us bring this important legislation to the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 6656, the Stuck On Hold Act, as amended.

This bill mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs implement automated callback systems for their customer phone lines and aim to limit wait time for veterans on hold to no more than 10 minutes.

Since we skipped regular order on this bill, we were not able to mark it up in committee and make the needed improvements to the bill. I was not informed why we are rushing this bill to the floor without a markup, but I appreciate that the chairman's staff worked with mine to amend the bill to include important changes to improve the bill to ensure that veterans who should be prioritized for assistance are not negatively impacted by excessive wait times.

Considering the Senate is unlikely to take this bill up as written due to concerns with implementation, I also hope we can continue to work with our Senate colleagues to determine the correct amount of time we should target for veterans on hold.

Obviously, no one likes being on hold, but ideally every veteran should have the option to receive a callback instead of needlessly remaining on hold and waiting for assistance.

During our limited committee consideration, our committee heard from VA about concerns for implementation, and I believe limiting hold time is not simply picking a number but also requires us to understand what resources are necessary to limit hold times.

The rush to get this bill to the floor did not allow for a more detailed conversation about resources and impacts, so I hope a truncated committee process will not prevent us from engaging with the Senate to ensure we enact the best possible bill.

Mr. Speaker, I will support the bill for now with the expectation that there is more work to do, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 6656, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 6656, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.