Kimberlyn King-Hinds Advocates for Veteran Healthcare Access in U.S. Territories

The Travel Act for Veterans

• 💡 HR 3400, the Travel Act of 2025, aims to address healthcare inequities for veterans in U.S. territories.
• 🎯 The bill establishes a program within the VA to deploy specialist physicians to territories for up to one year.
• 📌 This initiative recognizes that a veteran's service is valued equally, regardless of their location, whether in Saipan or San Diego.

Challenges Faced by Veterans in Territories

• 🏥 In the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, hundreds of veterans are served by only one part-time physician.
• ✈️ Veterans requiring specialized care are often forced to travel thousands of miles to Guam, Hawaii, or the continental U.S., sometimes at their own expense.
• ⚠️ This situation is described as a logistical failure and shameful, forcing veterans to choose between their health and financial well-being.

Support and Scope of the Bill

• 🤝 Over 100,000 veterans reside in U.S. territories, facing a significant gap in healthcare access.
• 🩺 The Travel Act would allow the VA to assign physicians as traveling providers, creating a vital lifeline for these communities.
• 🌍 The legislation is intended to cover all U.S. territories, including the Pacific territories and the Virgin Islands.

Legislative Process and Amendments

• 📝 The bill, HR 3400, was discussed and marked up in a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs meeting.
• 💰 An amendment was introduced to fully offset the cost of the bill, protecting taxpayers.
• ✅ The amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, was agreed to, and HR 3400 was favorably reported to the House.