Rep. McGuire and Chairman Bost Introduce the VA Data Transparency and Trust Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative John McGuire (VA-05), released the following statement regarding his introduction of The VA Data Transparency and Trust Act with House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (IL-12)

“We need to ensure that the government is working efficiently and effectively," said Congressman John McGuire, "Nowhere is this more needed than within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA should be able to produce timely and accurate reports to Congress and respective oversight bodies to ensure that we are providing those who risked and sacrificed everything for our country the care they deserve. I want to thank Chairman Bost for cosponsoring this legislation and for his leadership and service to our country.”

“We must ensure that VA is equipped with the right data to push VA forward and improve VA programs to meet veterans’ needs where they are,” said Chairman Bost. “I want to thank my friend and fellow veteran, Rep. McGuire, for his leadership on the VA Data Transparency and Trust Act on behalf of veterans in Virginia and across the country. This commonsense modernization bill would build on House Republicans work to bring VA out of the Stone Age and into the New Age to provide the best care and services to the men and women who have served.”

Background:
Congress has long struggled to conduct meaningful oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) due to limited data availability and a lack of consistent, structured reporting. Unlike the Department of Defense and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), VA does not provide Congress, researchers, or the public with reliable access to essential demographic, cost, utilization, or outcome data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).

This lack of transparency has prevented the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Government Accountability Office (GAO), and other support agencies from accurately estimating the costs of proposed legislation to reform or expand VA programs or effectively evaluating the performance of existing VA programs.

The VA Data Transparency and Trust Act would require VA to issue annual reports to Congress by providing anonymized datasets that mirror practices for Medicare and TRICARE utilization. These reports would detail how VA benefits are delivered, who is using them, and how well the system is performing—while safeguarding veterans’ privacy. Specifically, the bill would: 

• Provide Congress with the tools it needs to perform effective oversight by mandating structed, accessible reporting and data-sharing practices for both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). 

• Ensures that VA programs are not only funded--but also functional, efficient, and meeting the needs of the veterans they serve. 

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