[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7953 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7953

To amend title 10, United States Code, to allow members of the Selected 
   Reserve and National Guard holding employment within the Federal 
 Government the choice between military and civilian healthcare plans, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 11, 2024

   Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia (for herself, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Mr. 
    Wittman, Mr. Turner, Mr. Gimenez, and Mr. Kelly of Mississippi) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to allow members of the Selected 
   Reserve and National Guard holding employment within the Federal 
 Government the choice between military and civilian healthcare plans, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Servicemember Healthcare Freedom Act 
of 2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Thousands of members of reserve components and the 
        National Guard, in addition to their military service, work for 
        the United States Government in a civilian capacity.
            (2) Nearly all members of the Selected Reserve and the 
        National Guard, and their families, are entitled to purchase a 
        TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) healthcare plan as a service-
        related benefit.
            (3) As of the day before the date of the enactment of this 
        Act, eligibility for Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) 
        prohibits members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard 
        from enrolling in Tricare Reserve Select plans.
            (4) Removal of such prohibition for members of the Selected 
        Reserve and the National Guard will provide continuity of care 
        throughout mobilization cycles.
            (5) Providing members of the Armed Forces with the ability 
        to purchase comprehensive, low-cost health insurance increases 
        the readiness and lethality of the Armed Forces as a whole.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF EXPIRATION DATE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE 
              SELECTED RESERVE AND NATIONAL GUARD, ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL 
              EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS, TO ENROLL INTO TRICARE RESERVE 
              SELECT AS OF JANUARY 1, 2025.

    Section 1076d(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``January 1, 2030'' and inserting ``January 1, 2025''.
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