H.R. 4908House116th Congress (2019-2021)Passed House

Native American PACT Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 9:11 AM UTC

The Native American PACT Act changes Veterans Affairs rules so that veterans who are members of an Indian tribe (including urban Indians) cannot be charged a health‑care copayment. The law expands the group of “covered veterans” to include these Native American veterans, alongside catastrophically disabled veterans, and sets the rule to take effect one year after enactment.

Key Provisions

Amends the VA statute to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting any health‑care copayment from a veteran who is an Indian or urban Indian as defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
Redefines “covered veteran” to mean either a catastrophically disabled veteran or a veteran who is an Indian or urban Indian.
Updates the heading and reference language in the statute to reflect the new definition and prohibition.
Specifies that the changes become effective one year after the law is enacted.

Legislative Activity

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12 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

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

Veterans' Affairs Committee

September 23, 2020

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 29, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

October 29, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

November 8, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Hearings Held.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

July 23, 2020

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

July 30, 2020

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

July 30, 2020

HouseFloor

Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

September 22, 2020 • 1:53 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4678-4679)

September 22, 2020 • 1:54 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4908.

September 22, 2020 • 1:54 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.

September 22, 2020 • 1:59 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4678)

September 22, 2020 • 1:59 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

September 22, 2020 • 1:59 PM

SenateIntro Referral

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

Veterans' Affairs Committee

September 23, 2020

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued September 23, 2020

IIB

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4908

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 23, 2020

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the collection of a health care copayment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from a veteran who is a member of an Indian tribe.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Native American Veteran Parity in Access to Care Today Act or Native American PACT Act .

Prohibition on collection of a health care copayment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from a veteran who is a member of an Indian tribe

(a)

In general

Section 1730A of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in the heading, by striking catastrophically disabled and inserting certain;

(2)

by inserting (a) Prohibition.— before Notwithstanding;

(3)

by striking a veteran who is catastrophically disabled, as defined by the Secretary, and inserting a covered veteran; and

(4)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(b)

Covered veteran defined

In this section, the term covered veteran means a veteran who—

(1)

is catastrophically disabled, as defined by the Secretary; or

(2)

is an Indian or urban Indian, as those terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (Public Law 94–437; 25 U.S.C. 1603).

(b)

Technical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 1730A and inserting the following:

1730A. Prohibition on collection of copayments from certain veterans.

(c)

Delayed effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the day that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives September 22, 2020.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk.