S. 3170: Stuck On Hold Act

This bill, known as the Stuck On Hold Act, aims to improve the customer service experience for veterans contacting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through its phone lines. The main features of the bill are as follows:

Automated System Implementation

Within one year of the bill’s enactment, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must set up an automated system for each applicable customer service telephone line. This system will:

• Inform callers about their expected wait time.
• Automatically offer a callback option to any caller who faces an anticipated wait time of over 10 minutes.

Guidance to Reduce Wait Times

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is also required to produce guidance aimed at limiting the average wait time for calls to these customer service lines to no more than 10 minutes.

Definition of Covered Line

The bill defines a covered line as any customer service telephone line of the Department of Veterans Affairs, excluding:

• The toll-free hotline for veterans established under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code.
• Phone lines connected to the emergency department of a health care facility operated by the Department.

Overall, the effect of the Stuck On Hold Act is to streamline the communication process for veterans needing assistance from the VA, making it less likely that they will have to endure long wait times when seeking help.

Relevant Companies

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