# 119-hr-1972: START Act of 2025

119-hr-1972, START Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1] (R-IA); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1972
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-1972
- Congress: 119
- Title: START Act of 2025
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-03-10
- Sponsor: Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1] (R-IA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**This bill would tie VA Community Care referral validity to the day a veteran has their first appointment with a non-VA provider.** It defines the referral period to begin when the veteran actually meets the outside provider, making timing explicit. - Veterans: Referral timing would be linked to the veteran's first non-VA appointment, which could help ensure referrals remain usable when care actually begins. - Non-VA providers: The rule would make the start date of a referral clear, helping providers know when they can rely on a referral for services. - VA staff and administrators: The change would give a single, appointment-based trigger for the referral period, simplifying how referral dates are recorded and checked.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Veterans community care referrals start at first visit: benefit, low. If enacted, VA community care referrals to a non-VA provider would start on the day of your first appointment. This would apply to covered veterans referred by a VA clinician. It would not change who qualifies or how VA pays. The bill does not set an effective date.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4895: Afghan Adjustment Act
- 119-hr-1656: PLUS for Veterans Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-1972 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1972)

## Related
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2725)
- [119-hr-4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4317)
- [119-hr-4895: Afghan Adjustment Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4895)
- [119-hr-1656: PLUS for Veterans Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1656)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1972 (as of 2025-12-21).