AVERT Crises Act of 2024

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10369 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10369 To improve the emergency management capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 11, 2024 Mr. McGarvey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To improve the emergency management capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 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 ``Advancing VA's Emergency Response to Crises Act of 2024'' or the ``AVERT Crises Act of 2024''. SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO IMPLEMENT A FULLY OPERATIONAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM THROUGHOUT MEDICAL FACILITIES OF DEPARTMENT. (a) Implementation Required.--Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement a fully operational high-frequency emergency communications system throughout medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (b) Purpose of System.--The system required to be implemented under subsection (a) shall-- (1) serve as a means of maintaining communications at medical facilities of the Department during disasters or emergencies without the need for external infrastructure; (2) enable emergency communications between medical facilities of the Department and other government agencies with high-frequency communications capabilities; and (3) be used to reestablish the provision of health care services to veterans, maintain the situational awareness of staff of the Department, coordinate emergency response, a