Overview

Title

An Act To designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas, as the Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic.

ELI5 AI

Imagine there's a big doctor's office for veterans in Kansas, and now they want to give it a special name to honor someone important. So, they're officially calling it the "Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic."

Summary AI

S. 3249 is a legislative act that aims to give a specific name to an outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The clinic, located at 9201 Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kansas, will be officially called the “Captain Elwin Shopteese Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic” or simply the “Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic.” All references to this clinic in U.S. laws, maps, and documents will use the new name. The Senate passed the bill on May 2, 2024.

Published

2024-05-02
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Engrossed in Senate
Date: 2024-05-02
Package ID: BILLS-118s3249es

Keywords AI

captain elwin shopteese va clinic kansas city veterans affairs renaming wyandotte county federal records update cost assessment stakeholder consultation transparency

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
1
Words:
237
Pages:
4
Sentences:
6

Language

Nouns: 103
Verbs: 10
Adjectives: 2
Adverbs: 0
Numbers: 6
Entities: 30

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.32
Average Sentence Length:
39.50
Token Entropy:
4.13
Readability (ARI):
22.11

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The bill named "S. 3249" introduced in the 118th Congress proposes to rename the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic located in Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas. This facility will be designated as the "Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic." The bill mandates that all federal references to this clinic will be updated to reflect its new name. The bill has successfully passed the Senate on May 2, 2024.

Summary of Significant Issues

A notable concern is the absence of an explanation or criteria for naming the clinic after Captain Elwin Shopteese. Without background context, stakeholders may question the motivation behind this renaming. Additionally, the bill omits any discussion of the financial implications associated with implementing this change, such as updating signage, documents, and other official records. This oversight could lead to potential scrutiny over budgetary implications and whether the renaming justifies any associated expenses.

Another issue highlighted is the ambiguity about how, and when, these changes will occur across all federal records. This lack of detail could lead to inconsistencies in how the clinic is referenced, posing administrative or legal challenges. Moreover, the bill does not address whether there has been any consultation or input from relevant stakeholders, potentially raising concerns about the process's transparency.

Public Impact

For the general public, this bill might seem purely symbolic, representing an effort to honor an individual, perhaps a veteran, by naming a public institution after them. On a positive note, such gestures can foster local pride and offer a focal point of recognition for individual or community achievements. However, without proper context or justification, some taxpayers might view this legislation as a possible misallocation of resources or energy when other pressing issues may be at hand.

Stakeholder Impact

Veteran communities residing in Kansas City or associated with Captain Elwin Shopteese might view the renaming as a significant honor and a morale booster. It could strengthen community ties or recognition of service members' sacrifices. Conversely, some stakeholders, including local residents and workers at the clinic, may feel excluded if they were not considered in feedback or discussion during the decision-making process.

Government entities tasked with updating records and signage may face logistical challenges if the implementation of these updates is not clearly defined. As stakeholders in public accountability, lawmakers and government officials might face criticism for not providing a transparent, justified rationale regarding the financial and procedural implications of the renaming. Stakeholder engagement, such as involving veterans, community members, and VA staff, would generally be seen as positive steps toward fostering support and understanding for such initiatives.

Issues

  • The section does not specify the reasons or criteria for renaming the clinic (Section 1), which could lead to questions about the necessity or motivation behind the designation change and might provoke public or political scrutiny.

  • The section does not provide any detail on the costs associated with the renaming (Section 1), such as updating signs, documents, and records, which could be relevant for assessing potential wasteful spending, especially concerning public financial oversight.

  • There is potential for ambiguity in references to the clinic following this renaming (Section 1), as it is unclear how existing federal records will be updated and what timeframe this update will require, posing potential legal or administrative challenges.

  • The section lacks information on stakeholder input or consultation in the decision to rename the clinic (Section 1), which could be an issue of concern for transparency and accountability, potentially leading to public or stakeholder dissatisfaction.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Designation of Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section establishes that the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, is to be renamed the “Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic.” Additionally, it states that all references to this clinic in any official documents will also reflect the new name.