[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 119 (Wednesday, July 12, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2378-S2379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 178. Mr. KING (for himself and Mr. Rounds) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the appropriate place in title VII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 7__. HEALTH CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR 
                   MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ON ACTIVE DUTY 
                   DURING PERIOD PRIOR TO DISCHARGE, RELEASE, 
                   RETIREMENT, OR SEPARATION.

       (a) Care for Members of the Armed Forces on Active Duty.--
       (1) In general.--Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 1790. Care for members of the Armed Forces on active 
       duty

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall furnish hospital 
     care and medical services that the Secretary determines to be 
     needed--
       ``(1) to a member of the armed forces throughout the 90-day 
     period immediately preceding discharge or release of such 
     member from the armed forces upon completion by such member 
     of 180 or more continuous days of active duty; and
       ``(2) to a member of the armed forces throughout the 90-day 
     period immediately preceding retirement or separation of such 
     member from active duty for disability without regard to 
     duration of service of such member on active duty.
       ``(b) Manner of Providing Care.--In carrying out subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall furnish hospital care and medical 
     services in the same or similar manner and subject to the 
     same or similar limitations as hospital care and medical 
     services furnished to veterans eligible for such care and 
     services, by--
       ``(1) establishing processes and procedures to complete 
     enrollment in the patient enrollment system under section 
     1705(a)(9) of this title of members of the armed forces 
     described in subsection (a) prior to the 90-day authorization 
     window for hospital care and medical services under such 
     subsection;
       ``(2) establishing access standards for furnishing hospital 
     care and medical services to such members; and
       ``(3) ensuring that such access standards mitigate the 
     absence of service-connected disability determinations for 
     such members.
       ``(c) Annual Report.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than April 30 of each year, 
     the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' 
     Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
     of the House of Representatives a report on hospital care and 
     medical services furnished under subsection (a) during the 
     previous calendar year.
       ``(2) Elements.--Each report required under paragraph (1) 
     shall include, for the year covered by the report--
       ``(A) the number of individuals who received hospital care 
     or medical services under subsection (a);
       ``(B) demographic information for such individuals;
       ``(C) the types of such care or services furnished or paid 
     for by the Department; and
       ``(D) the total cost to the Department of providing such 
     care or services.
       ``(d) Armed Forces Defined.--In this section, the term 
     `armed forces' has the meaning given that term in section 101 
     of title 10.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such subchapter is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new item:

``1790. Care for members of the Armed Forces on active duty.''.

[[Page S2379]]

       (b) Enrollment of Members.--Section 1705(a) of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``enrollment of veterans'' and inserting ``enrollment of 
     individuals under such system''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(9) Members of the Armed Forces for purposes of 
     furnishing hospital care and medical services under section 
     1790(a) of this title.''.
       (c) Implementation Date.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall begin furnishing care and services under section 1790 
     of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), 
     by not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.
       (d) Progress Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
     provide to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a briefing regarding the progress of the 
     Secretary in meeting the requirements under section 1790 of 
     title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).
                                 ______