# 119-s-3771: Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026

119-s-3771, Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3771
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-3771
- Congress: 119
- Title: Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-02-04
- Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Creates formal VA job categories and pay grades for therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists.** This bill would add both roles into Title 38, require post‑graduate clinical training and Secretary‑approved board certification, create named pay grades, and direct a report on pay and cost effects. - Therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists: Would get explicit appointment pathways, clear eligibility rules requiring post‑graduate clinical training and board certification, and dedicated VA pay grades. - VA human resources and pay system: Would add two new grades into chapter 74, update pay sections and chapter headings, and change how pay for these specialists is described in law. - Contract providers who treat veterans under VA agreements: The Secretary must report on how pay changes affect those who provide care under agreement and any resulting cost changes.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR] (R-AR), 2026-02-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN), 2026-04-13T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- VA pay and grades for physicists: benefit, low. If enacted, this bill would add therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicist job titles into VA pay, grade, and appointment rules in title 38. That would let the VA classify and pay those positions under the statutory VA framework. The bill would not set specific pay amounts or add funding. Effecti…
- Stricter VA medical physicist qualifications: cost, medium. If enacted, this bill would require new VA therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicist hires to finish a post-graduate clinical training program the Secretary accepts. You would also need board certification in the relevant specialty from a certifying body the Secretary approves. These rules would…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5526: Agricultural Act of 2026
- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-1552: Living Donor Protection Act of 2025
- 119-s-1816: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
- 119-s-1261: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-3771 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3771)

## Related
- [119-s-5526: Agricultural Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5526)
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-1552: Living Donor Protection Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1552)
- [119-s-1816: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1816)
- [119-s-1261: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1261)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3771 (as of 2026-04-21).