Blumenthal, Hirono Lead Bill to Bolster VA's Emergency Response to Disasters

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) recently introduced the Advancing VA’s Emergency Response to (AVERT) Crises Act—legislation to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) response to natural disasters, pandemics, and other emergencies.

“With 100-year storms happening every year and increasing disasters, like the recent tragedy in Texas and the LA wildfires, we need to make sure VA is prepared to respond to these crises given its size and reach nationwide,” said Ranking Member Blumenthal. “Our legislation will help ensure the Department is prepared to respond to these increasingly common weather disasters and other emergencies while continuing to provide quality care to the veterans it serves.”

“As extreme weather events and climate-related disasters become increasingly common throughout the country, the AVERT Crises Act will help to ensure that the VA has the resources necessary to respond to these emergencies,” said Senator Hirono. “By increasing coordination between FEMA and the VA and streamlining VA’s emergency management offices, this critical legislation will help the VA fulfill its emergency preparedness mission and better support those affected by future natural disasters.”

The AVERT Crises Act would help ensure continuity of VA medical care for veterans during emergencies and make sure the Department is better prepared to activate its Fourth Mission authority—VA’s role in improving the nation’s response to emergencies. It would require VA to increase coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during emergencies, analyze ways to streamline VA’s disjointed emergency management offices, and examine whether the Department’s Regional Readiness Centers are being used to their fullest potential.

The Senators’ legislation addresses lessons learned from VA’s response to recent natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the findings of numerous reports from the VA Office of Inspector General. Recently, natural and weather-related disasters have increased in frequency and intensity, and VA plays a critical role in responding to these emergencies.

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