Bill Overview
Title: Senator Johnny Isakson VA Regional Office Act of 2022
Description: This bill designates the Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office in Georgia as the Senator Johnny Isakson Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Office or the Isakson VA Atlanta Regional Office.
Sponsors: Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2]
Target Audience
Population: Veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs services in the United States
Estimated Size: 20000000
- The bill renames a specific VA regional office in Atlanta, Georgia, which directly pertains to VA operations and potentially impacts veterans who use that office.
- The primary users of the Atlanta Regional Office are veterans residing in the Atlanta area or veterans who are connected to this office for benefits and services.
- The renaming itself doesn’t affect veterans' benefits or services but might impact local veterans' sense of connection or legacy association with Senator Johnny Isakson.
- The bill has symbolic significance more than practical changes to services, primarily affecting veterans in Georgia.
Reasoning
- Given the nature of the policy, it will impact primarily those veterans who frequent or have dealings with the Atlanta Regional Office. The impact is more symbolic than practical, relating to a sense of legacy and recognition of Senator Isakson's contributions to veterans' affairs. It essentially serves to honor the senator and should not impact the services provided by the office.
- Most veterans outside of this specific office's jurisdiction will not be affected by this renaming. Therefore, the interviews will include both those who are directly impacted symbolically as well as those who are not impacted at all, including views on the office's symbolic renaming.
- With a budget of $200,000, the focus is on administrative and signage changes related to the office renaming. The policy does not design to change operational aspects or veteran benefits in any tangible way, meaning no change in the wellbeing scores related to physical health or financial status.
- Awareness of the renaming might slightly affect the psychological and emotional aspect of wellbeing for those connected to the Atlanta Regional Office, especially considering personal connections to Senator Isakson's work.
Simulated Interviews
Veteran Affairs Coordinator (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think renaming the office is a fitting tribute to Senator Isakson.
- The services shouldn't change. It's mostly a symbolic gesture.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired (Savannah, Georgia)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm proud of Senator Isakson's work.
- Renaming the office is a good way to remember his contributions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Small Business Owner (Macon, Georgia)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I didn't know about the renaming.
- I hope it doesn't delay any processing times at the office.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
IT Specialist (Columbus, Georgia)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The renaming is symbolic, so it doesn't affect my use of the services.
- I'm more concerned about the efficiency of VA services overall.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Teacher (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Renaming the office honors a great supporter of veterans.
- This is more for recognition than service change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Construction Worker (Augusta, Georgia)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think this renaming affects anything in my life.
- I hope the services remain consistent.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Veteran Advocate (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a fitting tribute but does nothing for active service issues.
- I'm more interested in service efficiency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired Engineer (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 75 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Senator Isakson was a strong veterans' advocate; this is a nice gesture.
- Let’s ensure the services continue to improve.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Freelance Artist (Cumming, Georgia)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad for the symbolic gesture to honor Senator Isakson.
- I mostly interact with the services online.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
University Professor (Athens, Georgia)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This renaming seems primarily symbolic.
- I hope this reinforces commitment to veteran support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $200000 (Low: $150000, High: $250000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The bill is primarily symbolic, focusing on the legacy of Senator Johnny Isakson.
- Costs are associated with physical and digital updates to reflect the new office name.
- The impact on veterans' services and benefits is negligible, as the renaming does not affect operational aspects.