Kelly, Kennedy Introduce Bill to Improve Department of Veterans Affairs Phone Service System

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the Stuck on Hold Act, a bill to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to inform callers of their estimated hold time, and, if the projected wait exceeds ten minutes, offer callers the option to receive a callback instead of remaining on hold.

"When veterans reach out to the VA for their health care, benefits, education, or other services, the last thing they need is to spend hours of their day waiting on the phone. Our commonsense bill will have the VA call back veterans, just like so many private sector companies do, saving veterans time and allowing our government to better serve them," said Sen. Kelly.

"The American people expect the VA to provide our nation's heroes with the very best care this country has to offer-but shockingly often, it's difficult for veterans to even get an operator on the line when they need help. Our men and women in uniform cannot afford to be stuck with the same long wait times when there are commonsense reforms that worked for other agencies at Congress's disposal. The Stuck on Hold Act is a proven fix that would quickly give our veterans the assistance they've earned," said Sen. Kennedy.

Kennedy and Kelly's bill is a companion to Rep. Ken Calvert's (R-CA-41) legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Our veterans answered the call for our country so it's only right to make sure the VA answers the call when our veterans are looking for help. The Stuck on Hold Act is commonsense legislation that will ensure our veterans aren't stuck waiting endlessly on hold hoping someone answers when they need assistance with the benefits they have earned. I appreciate Senators Kennedy and Kelly working with me on this important bill for our veterans," said Rep. Calvert.

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and The American Legion support the Stuck on Hold Act.

"The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) supports the Stuck on Hold Act, and thanks Senator John Kennedy and Senator Mark Kelly for introducing this significant legislation. Reducing wait times by allowing for callbacks on the Department of Veterans Affairs hotline will reduce barriers to benefits and care for Veterans, Families, Caregivers and Survivors," said Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder of TAPS.

"The American Legion is proud to support the Stuck on Hold Act. This legislation modernizes customer service across the Department of Veterans Affairs by requiring VA medical call centers to provide estimated wait times and offer automatic callback options to veterans facing delays of more than ten minutes. These tools-already standard in the private sector-ensure that veterans are not forced to wait on hold for extended periods simply to access the care or assistance they need. By implementing automated queuing, transparent wait-time information, and clear guidance to reduce average wait times, the Stuck on Hold Act strengthens VA's ability to meet veterans where they are, whether managing increased demand under the PACT Act or serving those who rely on timely communication for their care. The American Legion thanks Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Kelly for introducing this commonsense, customer-focused legislation to improve VA responsiveness and ensure veterans receive the prompt support they have earned," said Cole Lyle, National Director of Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation at The American Legion.

Background:

There is currently no government-wide customer service standard for federal agencies to use when receiving calls from the public, with service often varying widely by location and department. Veterans often wait on hold for long periods of time before reaching an operator at the VA.

Beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) carried out a successful phone service reform program that resulted in high customer satisfaction.

In 2023, an Inspector General for the Tax Administration report found that the IRS callback program saved callers 3.6 million hours of hold time in FY 2022. Kennedy and Kelly's bill seeks to replicate these reforms at the VA.

Read the bill text here.