Travel act of 2026
Travel Act of 2026
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Create an account to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, the Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act (TRAVEL Act of 2026), allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to temporarily assign physicians to provide healthcare to veterans in U.S. territories and possessions. The goal is to improve access to essential healthcare services for veterans living in locations like American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The bill also establishes a relocation or retention bonus for these traveling physicians, in addition to their regular pay.
Key provisions
- Authorizes the VA Secretary to assign physicians to serve as traveling physicians.
- Traveling physicians can serve for up to one year at a time.
- Assignments can be made to American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.
- Multiple physicians can be assigned to specific territories.
- Traveling physicians must coordinate care with non-Department medical providers.
- Traveling physicians will receive a relocation or retention bonus.
- The bonus will be similar to those offered to permanent VA employees.
Who is affected
- Veterans
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- Physicians
- U.S. Territories and Possessions
Notable changes
Bill text
Read the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
Text extraction is in progress. View the official source.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
2 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsor
Arguments
Reasons offered for and against this legislation.
Arguments in favor
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yours