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119-s-4304119th CongressWALLET

TRAVEL Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

Introduced

Summary

Deploy VA traveling physicians to U.S. territories to expand in-person VA care where local staffing is limited. This bill would let the VA assign physicians as traveling staff for up to one year per assignment and offer relocation or retention bonuses similar to existing VA pay incentives.

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  • Veterans in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other U.S. territories would get more local access to VA physicians at VA or approved facilities.
  • VA physicians could be designated as traveling physicians for up to one year per assignment, with the VA allowed to place multiple physicians in one or more territories, and receive relocation or retention bonuses comparable to current VA bonuses.
  • Traveling physicians must coordinate care with non-VA medical providers to help ensure quality and continuity of hospital care and medical services across locations.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Visiting VA doctors for territories

This bill would let the Secretary of Veterans Affairs assign physicians appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401 to serve as traveling physicians in U.S. territories and possessions. Traveling physicians could be assigned for up to one year at a time to American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or other U.S. territories or possessions. They could work at VA facilities or other approved facilities, and the Secretary could assign multiple physicians and designate which territory each serves. Traveling physicians would need to coordinate with non-Department medical providers for veterans receiving hospital care and medical services. The VA would provide a relocation or retention bonus, substantially similar to bonuses under 38 U.S.C. 7410(a), in addition to pay under 38 U.S.C. 7431.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

MT • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 4/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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