# VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act

This bill is designed to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs' ability to get the medical supplies, equipment, and other materials it needs to serve veterans. Right now, the VA relies on complex supply chains to deliver everything from medications to hospital equipment to the facilities where veterans receive care. The problem is that these supply chains can be disrupted—whether by natural disasters, manufacturing issues, international conflicts, or other emergencies—leaving veterans without timely access to the care they depend on.

The VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act gives the VA better tools to prepare for and handle these disruptions. It likely requires the VA to identify which supplies and materials are most critical to veteran care, figure out where potential weak points exist in how those items are obtained, and develop backup plans so the department isn't caught off guard. This might mean building up emergency stockpiles of essential medications or medical equipment, developing relationships with multiple suppliers instead of relying on just one source, or creating faster ways to get supplies when the normal system breaks down.

For veterans, this means more reliable access to the healthcare and services they've earned. If the VA can better predict and prevent supply shortages, veterans won't face delays in getting prescriptions filled, having surgeries scheduled, or receiving other medical care. The bill essentially recognizes that the VA's supply chain is just as important to veteran care as the doctors and nurses providing the treatment, and it makes sure the department has the authority and resources to keep that system running smoothly even when unexpected problems arise.

VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act

Moran, Jerry

VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act This bill addresses the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) supply chain processes, particularly during emergency periods. The bill requires the VA to submit a report containing a description of the items and quantities of items that are critical with respect to the VA's ongoing response to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and future epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national emergency, or natural disaster scenarios. The VA and the Department of Defense (DOD) must enter into an agreement to provide for the participation of the VA in the Warstopper Program of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) of DOD. The Warstopper Program was established to satisfy requirements for sudden and sustained increases in production of critical industrial and medical items. Under such an agreement, the DLA must <ul> <li>ensure the maintenance and stability of the items the VA identifies as critical in its report (and that the VA and DOD determine are appropriate for the program), </li> <li>establish guidance for the participation of the VA in the program, and </li> <li>use existing and new contracts and agreements to reserve the supply of critical items.</li> </ul> Finally, the VA must ensure it does not exclusively rely on holding regional, physical inventories of critical items in order to respond to greater than expected needs during epidemic, pandemic, emergency, national emergency, or natural disaster situations.