The Territorial Response and Access to Veterans' Essential Lifecare Act or the TRAVEL Act of 2025
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assign a physician who has been appointed in the Veterans Health Administration to serve as a traveling physician for a period of not more than one year. Such physician must provide health care to veterans at VA facilities located in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.
Traveling physicians must coordinate with non-VA providers when necessary to ensure high quality and coordinated care for veterans receiving hospital care and medical services.
The VA must provide a relocation or retention bonus to traveling physicians.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3400 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3400
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to assign physicians of the Department of Veterans
Affairs to temporarily serve as traveling physicians in the territories
and possessions of the United States, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 14, 2025
Ms. King-Hinds (for herself, Mr. Moylan, and Mrs. Radewagen) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to assign physicians of the Department of Veterans
Affairs to temporarily serve as traveling physicians in the territories
and possessions of the United States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``the Territorial Response and Access
to Veterans' Essential Lifecare Act'' or the ``TRAVEL Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS ASSIGNMENT OF TRAVELING PHYSICIANS TO
SERVE TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 74 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7415. Traveling physicians
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may assign a physician appointed
under section 7401 of this title to serve as a traveling physician for
a period of not more than one year. A traveling physician shall provide
health care to veterans residing in American Samoa, Guam, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and any other
territory or possession of the United States at Department facilities
located in such territories and possessions.
``(b) Coordination of Care.--In providing care under this section,
traveling physicians shall coordinate with non-Department medical
providers to the extent necessary to ensure high quality and
coordinated care for veterans receiving hospital care and medical
services.
``(c) Pay.--In addition to pay under section 7431 of this title,
the Secretary shall provide a relocation or retention bonus to
traveling physicians under this section. A relocation or retention
bonus under this subsection shall be substantially similar to a
relocation or retention bonus offered under sections 5753 and 5754,
respectively, of title 5, as the Secretary considers appropriate.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
7414 the following new item:
``7415. Traveling physicians.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Subcommittee on Health Discharged
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-263.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-263.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 219.
Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4284)
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3400.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4300)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 371 - 21 (Roll no. 266). (text: CR H4284: 1)
Roll Call #266 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 371 - 21 (Roll no. 266). (text: CR H4284)
Roll Call #266 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.