TRAVEL Act of 2025: Sending VA Doctors to U.S. Territories
May 14, 2025
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Where This Stands
Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →The Frame
Veterans living in U.S. territories may see increased access to VA medical services through the temporary assignment of mainland-based VA physicians.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Veterans in U.S. territories
They are the intended recipients of the healthcare services provided by the traveling physicians.
VA physicians
They may be assigned to temporary duty in territories and are eligible for additional relocation or retention bonuses.
Non-Department medical providers in territories
They are required to coordinate care with VA traveling physicians.
Current stage: in_committee.
Floor Vote.
Summary
Key Facts
- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is authorized to assign VA physicians to serve as 'traveling physicians' in U.S. territories and possessions.
- Traveling physician assignments are limited to a maximum duration of one year.
- Covered locations include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories.
- Traveling physicians are required to coordinate care with non-Department medical providers in those territories.
- The Secretary must provide relocation or retention bonuses to these physicians, modeled after existing federal pay incentives under title 5.
- The bill amends title 38 of the United States Code to create a new section, 7415, for this program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which territories are included in this program?
How long can a doctor be assigned to a territory?
Will these doctors work alone?
Why It Matters
Veterans living in U.S. territories may see increased access to VA medical services through the temporary assignment of mainland-based VA physicians.
News Coverage
Lobbying Activity
KOUNTOUPES DENHAM CARR & REID, LLC
on behalf of AIRBNB
CURE SMA
1607 STRATEGIES, LLC
on behalf of Travelers Companies, Inc. and subsidiaries
2025
“Issues related to the property and casualty insurance industry.”
1607 STRATEGIES, LLC
on behalf of Travelers Companies, Inc. and subsidiaries
2025
“Issues related to the property and casualty insurance industry.”
1607 STRATEGIES, LLC
on behalf of Travelers Companies, Inc. and subsidiaries
2025
“Issues related to the property and casualty insurance industry.”
Voting Record
Total
391
Yes
370
No
21
Present
0
Not Voting
0
Abstain
0
How they voted (391)
David Kustoff
R · yes
Andrew Clyde
R · no
Lucy McBath
D · yes
Pat Harrigan
R · no
Andrea Salinas
D · yes
Daniel Goldman
D · yes
Henry Johnson
D · yes
Lance Gooden
R · yes
Blake Moore
R · yes
Thomas Tiffany
R · yes
Ashley Hinson
R · yes
Wesley Hunt
R · yes
Burgess Owens
R · yes
Pete Stauber
R · yes
Diana Harshbarger
R · no
Janelle Bynum
D · yes
Monica De La Cruz
R · yes
Greg Casar
D · yes
Sean Casten
D · yes
Elijah Crane
R · yes
Beth Van Duyne
R · yes
Brad Sherman
D · yes
April McClain Delaney
D · yes
Haley Stevens
D · yes
+ 367 more
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of VA Physician Mobility
The bill formalizes a mechanism for temporary, incentivized physician deployment to territories, moving away from static staffing models for these regions.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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