[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 150 (Monday, September 15, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4289-H4290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1650
RURAL VETERANS' IMPROVED ACCESS TO BENEFITS ACT OF 2025
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3951) to amend the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1996
and the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and
Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 to improve the temporary licensure
requirements for contract health care professionals who perform medical
disability examinations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3951
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 ``Rural Veterans' Improved
Access to Benefits Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO TEMPORARY LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR
CONTRACT HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS WHO PERFORM
MEDICAL DISABILITY EXAMINATIONS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Expansion.--Section 504 of the Veterans' Benefits
Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38 U.S.C. 5101
note), as amended by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of
section 2002 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D.
Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020
(Public Law 116-315; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note), is further
amended, subject to the sunset in paragraph (4) of such
subsection, by striking paragraph (2) of subsection (c) and
inserting the following:
``(2) Health care professional described.--A health care
professional described in this paragraph is a person who is
eligible for appointment to a position in the Veterans Health
Administration covered by section 7402(b) of title 38, United
States Code, who--
``(A) has a current and unrestricted license to practice
the health care profession of the health care professional;
``(B) is not barred from practicing such health care
profession in any State; and
``(C) is performing authorized duties for the Department
pursuant to a contract entered into under subsection (a).''.
(b) Delayed Sunset of Amendment.--Paragraph (4) of
subsection (a) of section 2002 of the Johnny Isakson and
David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits
Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-315; 38 U.S.C. 5101
note) is amended by striking ``On the date that is five years
after the date of the enactment of this Act'' and inserting
``On September 30, 2031''.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (2) of such subsection
is amended by striking ``physicians assistants, nurse
practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists'' and
inserting ``health care professionals''.
(d) Report.--Not later than 15 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding the
use of the authority under section 504 of the Veterans'
Benefits Improvements Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-275; 38
U.S.C. 5101 note), as temporarily amended by section
2002(a)(1) of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D.
Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020
(Public Law 116-315; 38 U.S.C. 5101 note) and this section.
Such report shall include, with respect to the one-year
period after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
following elements:
(1) The number of examinations conducted pursuant to a
contract under such authority.
(2) The cost, timeliness, and legal adequacy of such
examinations, disaggregated by--
(A) health care professional; and
(B) contract.
(3) The number of such examinations conducted in each
State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth,
territory, or possession of the United States.
(4) The numbers of each kind of health care professionals
who conducted such examinations.
(5) The number of examinations that were erroneously
conducted by a health care professional--
(A) without such a contract; or
(B) unauthorized to enter into such a contract.
(6) The plan of the Secretary to correct errors in the use
of such authority.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 3951, as amended.
[[Page H4290]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3951, introduced by my
colleague Representative Ciscomani from Arizona.
This bill would extend the license portability authority for
contracted medical professionals conducting compensation and pension
examinations for veterans until 2031. These exams are a vitally
important part of going through the VA benefits process.
Veterans living in rural or underserved areas often need to travel
far distances for their exams. Veterans in my district know this hurdle
firsthand and the impact it can have on dragging out the timeline for
them to receive their disability benefits.
Congress created the authority to expand the net for qualified,
contracted medical professionals. By ensuring more contracted medical
professionals can perform these exams, veterans would have greater
access to their benefits closer to home.
Under current law, license portability only applies to physician
assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists. This
bill would expand that authority to include even more providers who are
eligible for employment at the VA to perform medical disability
examinations. This is a necessary expansion to the VA's exam programs
to get even more qualified people serving veterans.
I thank Representative Ciscomani for his leadership on this bill and
his efforts to increase access to disability benefits for our Nation's
veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 3951, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3951, the Rural Veterans'
Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025, as amended.
There are few things we on both sides of the aisle agree on
completely, and I am happy to report this bill highlights one of them.
Veterans in rural areas deserve the same access to care that someone
living near a VA facility in a large city does. Rural populations are
particularly vulnerable because of unreasonable travel distances for
appointments, especially specialists.
For some veterans, this can be a reason to delay or forgo routine
exams or care, later resulting in poorer health outcomes. We hear many
stories of veterans who have appointments scheduled hours away,
requiring them to secure transportation, which can often be difficult.
We have also heard incredibly frustrating stories of these same
appointments being canceled or rescheduled at the last minute.
What does that mean for our veterans and their families? It can mean
rescheduling childcare, leave, work, transportation, as well as other
appointments they may have grouped together for ease and convenience.
It also means that any follow-up appointments begin the cumbersome
cycle all over again.
We should not tolerate rural veterans being treated as secondary
purely because of their location. They should have the same access to
care that other veterans have in more densely populated areas.
The Rural Veterans' Improved Access to Benefits Act attempts to
rectify part of this problem by expanding license portability, allowing
practitioners to perform exams for veterans across State lines.
At a time when medical professionals in many specializations are
particularly difficult to access at the VA, it is vital that we ease
access to these practitioners where possible.
This bill mandates a report regarding the number of exams completed
through this license portability agreement. This data will surely prove
beneficial in highlighting communities with greater needs for care.
We will continue to work to ensure all veterans get access to the
care they need, whether it be through legislative levers like this or
continued efforts of outreach and advocacy.
I am thankful to all of those who worked on this effort to ensure
that no one is left behind. I support this bill and urge my colleagues
to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Ciscomani), the sponsor of this bill.
Mr. CISCOMANI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R.
3951, the Rural Veterans' Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025.
This bipartisan bill aims to ensure rural veterans have access to
quality and timely physician examinations so that they are able to
receive the care they are entitled to, regardless of where they live.
This legislation does this by permanently allowing VA providers to
perform cross-State disability exams and expanding the pool of
providers who can perform medical disability examinations for the VA to
include all licensed healthcare professionals.
These changes will help to address the shortage of qualified
examiners in rural areas, specifically thereby reducing wait times and
increasing the timely release of benefits to our veterans.
I have witnessed firsthand the challenges rural veterans in Arizona's
Sixth Congressional District face in getting their medical exams
completed in a timely manner.
This bill takes an essential first step toward eliminating these
regional healthcare disparities and ensures that all veterans receive
the quality care they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to vote in support of H.R.
3951. We owe it to our servicemen and -women to make this commitment to
timely healthcare access.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for
closing.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R.
3951, the Rural Veterans' Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025, as
amended.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 3951, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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