I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4554 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 12, 2016 Ms. DelBene (for herself, Mr. Palazzo , Mr. Walz , Ms. McSally , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Bishop of Georgia , Mr. Nugent , Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Mrs. Lawrence , Mr. Bridenstine , Ms. Kaptur , Mr. Jones , Mr. Larsen of Washington , Mr. Hastings , Mr. Carney , Mrs. Torres , Mr. Honda , Mr. Reichert , Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia , Mr. Heck of Washington , Mr. Takano , Mr. Serrano , and Ms. McCollum ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that certain members of the National Guard serving on full-time National Guard duty and dependents remain eligible for the TRICARE program during periods in which the member is responding to a disaster.

1. Extended TRICARE program coverage for certain members of the National Guard and dependents during certain disaster response duty (a) In general Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1076e the following new section: 1076f. TRICARE program: extension of coverage for certain members of the National Guard and dependents during certain disaster response duty (a) Extended coverage During a period in which a member of the National Guard is performing disaster response duty, the member shall be treated as being on active duty for a period of more than 30 days for purposes of the eligibility of the member and dependents of the member for health care benefits under the TRICARE program if such period immediately follows a period in which the member served on full-time National Guard duty under section 502(f) of title 32, including pursuant to chapter 9 of such title. (b) Contribution by State (1) The Secretary shall charge a State for the costs of providing coverage under the TRICARE program to members of the National Guard of the State and the dependents of the members pursuant to subsection (a). Such charges shall be paid from the funds of the State or from any other non-Federal funds. (2) Any amounts received by the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the appropriation available for the Defense Health Program Account under section 1100 of this title, shall be merged with sums in such Account that are available for the fiscal year in which collected, and shall be available under subsection (b) of such section, including to carry out subsection (a) of this section. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) The term disaster response duty means duty performed by a member of the National Guard in State status pursuant to an emergency declaration by the Governor of the State (or, with respect to the District of Columbia, the mayor of the District of Columbia) in response to a disaster or in preparation for an imminent disaster. (2) The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1076e the following new item: 1076f. TRICARE program: extension of coverage for certain members of the National Guard and dependents during certain disaster response duty. .