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H.R. 3951 119th Congress House

Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025

Official title: 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 202… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: 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.

Introduced: June 12, 2025 Introduced by: Juan Ciscomani Republican · Arizona See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Congressional oversightHealth personnelLicensing and registrationsVeterans' medical careVeterans' pensions and compensation
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 Everywhere this bill has been 16 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 16, 2025
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Sep 15, 2025
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4289)
Sep 15, 2025
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4289: 1)
Sep 15, 2025
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3951.
Sep 15, 2025
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Sep 15, 2025
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4289)
Sep 15, 2025
Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Sep 9, 2025
Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-259.
Sep 9, 2025
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 215.
Jul 23, 2025
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Jul 23, 2025
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Jul 3, 2025
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged
Jun 24, 2025
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Jun 23, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Jun 12, 2025
Introduced in House
Jun 12, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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What's happening now September 16, 2025

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025

This bill extends and expands the pilot program under which certain non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care professionals may be contracted to provide disability examinations to veterans, regardless of the jurisdiction of their licensure, for purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and care. Specifically, the bill (1) expands the types of health care professionals who may provide such examinations, and (2) extends the authority for such professionals to be contracted for this purpose through January 5, 2031.

Currently, such examinations may only be contracted to licensed non-VA physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, or psychologists. The bill expands the list to include qualified health care professionals who are eligible for appointment to specified positions in the Veterans Health Administration, including hospital or clinic directors, dentists, and pharmacists.

The VA must report on its use of the expanded authority under this bill.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • S 3703 Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2026
  • HR 9237 Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
  • S 4744 Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Lobbying activity 33

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

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 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 2
D
Davis, Donald G.
North Carolina · Jun 12, 2025
 D
Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp
Washington · Jun 12, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3951: Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-3951/
MLA
"H.R. 3951: Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-3951/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3951, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-3951/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3951: Rural Veterans’ Improved Access to Benefits Act of 2025](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-3951/)
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