TRAVEL Act of 2025

Bill: 119-hr-3400
Sponsor: full_name: Del. King-Hinds, Kimberlyn [R-MP-At Large]
Introduced: 2025-05-14
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: American Samoa

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Guam

Health personnel

Northern Mariana Islands

Puerto Rico

Travel and tourism

U.S. territories and protectorates

Veterans' medical care

Virgin Islands
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-16
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-05-14
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>The Territorial Response and Access to Veterans' Essential Lifecare Act or the TRAVEL Act of 2025</strong></p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>The VA must provide a relocation or retention bonus to traveling&nbsp;physicians.</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3400 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 16, 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs AN ACT 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act or the TRAVEL Act of 2025 . 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: 7415. Traveling physicians (a) In general (1) The Secretary may assign a physician appointed under section 7401 or section 7431 of this title to serve as a traveling physician for a period of not more than one year at a time. A physician assigned to serve as a traveling physician under this section may be assigned to 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, or any other territory or possession of the United States at Department facilities or other approved facilities located in such territory or possession. (2) The Secretary may assign multiple physicians to serve as traveling physicians under this section and may assign each such physician to serve in a specific territory or possession. (b) Coordination of care In providing care under this section, traveling physicians shall coordinate with non-Department medical providers to the extent practicable and 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. Such relocation or retention bonus shall be substantially similar to a relocation or retention bonus offered under section 7410(a) of this title, 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. . (c) Technical and conforming amendments Title 38, United States Code, is further amended as follows: (1) In section 7410(a)(1), by— (A) by striking retention allowances and inserting retention bonuses ; and (B) by striking the second comma after section 7401(1) of this title ; and (2) In section 7431(e)(5)(B), by striking retention allowances and inserting retention bonuses . 3. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting December 31, 2032 .

Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3400 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act or the TRAVEL Act of 2025 . 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: 7415. Traveling physicians (a) In general (1) The Secretary may assign a physician appointed under section 7401 or section 7431 of this title to serve as a traveling physician for a period of not more than one year at a time. A physician assigned to serve as a traveling physician under this section may be assigned to 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, or any other territory or possession of the United States at Department facilities or other approved facilities located in such territory or possession. (2) The Secretary may assign multiple physicians to serve as traveling physicians under this section and may assign each such physician to serve in a specific territory or possession. (b) Coordination of care In providing care under this section, traveling physicians shall coordinate with non-Department medical providers to the extent practicable and 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. Such relocation or retention bonus shall be substantially similar to a relocation or retention bonus offered under section 7410(a) of this title, 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. . (c) Technical and conforming amendments Title 38, United States Code, is further amended as follows: (1) In section 7410(a)(1), by— (A) by striking retention allowances and inserting retention bonuses ; and (B) by striking the second comma after section 7401(1) of this title ; and (2) In section 7431(e)(5)(B), by striking retention allowances and inserting retention bonuses . 3. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting December 31, 2032 .

Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 219 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3400 [Report No. 119–263] 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 September 10, 2025 Additional sponsors: Ms. Tlaib , Ms. Tokuda , Ms. Strickland , Ms. McBride , Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia , Mr. Davis of Illinois , Mr. Vindman , Mr. Hernández , Ms. Lee of Nevada , and Mr. Case September 10, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 14, 2025 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act or the TRAVEL Act of 2025 . 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: 7415. Traveling physicians (a) In general (1) The Secretary may assign a physician appointed under section 7401 or section 7431 of this title to serve as a traveling physician for a period of not more than one year at a time. A physician assigned to serve as a traveling physician under this section may be assigned to 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, or any other territory or possession of the United States at Department facilities or other approved facilities located in such territory or possession. (2) The Secretary may assign multiple physicians to serve as traveling physicians under this section and may assign each such physician to serve in a specific territory or possession. (b) Coordination of care In providing care under this section, traveling physicians shall coordinate with non-Department medical providers to the extent practicable and 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. Such relocation or retention bonus shall be substantially similar to a relocation or retention bonus offered under section 7410(a) of this title, 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. . (c) Technical and conforming amendments Title 38, United States Code, is further amended as follows: (1) In section 7410(a)(1), by— (A) by striking retention allowances and inserting retention bonuses ; and (B) by striking the second comma after section 7401(1) of this title ; and (2) In section 7431(e)(5)(B), by striking retention allowances and inserting retention bonuses . 3. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting December 31, 2032 .

September 10, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3400 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.

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 . 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: 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. .