H.R. 9316

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9316 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9316

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the eligibility of 
veterans with service-connected disabilities who reside in certain 
territories or the Freely Associated States for payments or allowances 
for beneficiary travel.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 15, 2026

Ms. King-Hinds introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the eligibility of 
veterans with service-connected disabilities who reside in certain 
territories or the Freely Associated States for payments or allowances 
for beneficiary travel.

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 ``Travel Assistance for Veterans in 
Medical Deserts Act''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY OF VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED 
DISABILITIES WHO RESIDE IN CERTAIN TERRITORIES OR THE 
FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES FOR PAYMENTS OR ALLOWANCES FOR 
BENEFICIARY TRAVEL.

Section 111(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(B)--
(A) by striking ``rated at 30 percent or more.'' 
and inserting an em dash; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new clauses:
``(i) rated at 30 percent or more; or
``(ii) without regard to rating in the case of a 
veteran who resides in a covered jurisdiction in which 
no medical facility of the Department is located.''; 
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5) In this subsection:
``(A) The term `covered jurisdiction' means a territory or 
the Freely Associated States.
``(B) The term `Freely Associated States' has the meaning 
given such term in subsection (h).
``(C) The term `territory' has the meaning given such term 
in section 5 of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and 
Economic Stability Act (Public Law 114-187; 48 U.S.C. 2104).''.
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