Read what’s new from the ASA:
What’s happened: A formal congressional request authored by Rep. Bob Onder, MD (R-MO) and Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) to VA Secretary Doug Collins urging VA to maintain safe anesthesia care for our nation’s Veterans and uphold VA’s current anesthesia policy was signed by a bipartisan group of more than 100 lawmakers—an unprecedented level of support. The request urges the Secretary to:
- Reaffirm Directive 1123, VA’s current anesthesia safety standard
- End prolonged ambiguity that is posing an ongoing risk to Veterans’ lives and safety
- Avoid giving Veterans a lower standard of care than what is permitted in the community
Why it happened: Our powerful onsite advocacy during LEGCON 2026 and our ASA grassroots efforts after the meeting built the bipartisan support to get this across the finish line.
What’s next: ASA will continue to push to preserve the highest standards of care for our nation’s Veterans, but sustained grassroots advocacy will remain essential to protecting these gains and advancing our mission.