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S. 3436Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)Passed Senate

Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act

Sponsored by Jerry MoranSen. Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Introduced December 11, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated December 18, 2025 at 6:41 AM UTC

The bill amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code to require that veterans living in the Freely Associated States receive telehealth and mail‑order pharmacy benefits, guarantees they will receive travel payment assistance, mandates quarterly reporting on implementation, and extends a pension payment deadline to March 31, 2033. It primarily affects the Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans residing in those Pacific island nations.

Key Provisions

  • Within one year of enactment, the VA Secretary must provide telehealth and mail‑order pharmacy benefits to eligible veterans in the Freely Associated States under existing agreements.
  • The VA must begin making travel payment benefits for those veterans (instead of optional) within one year of the law taking effect.
  • The VA Secretary must submit quarterly reports to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs and Appropriations Committees on the status and cost of implementing these changes.
  • The deadline for certain pension payment limits is changed from January 31, 2033 to March 31, 2033.

Legislative Activity

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6 earlier actions
HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

December 18, 2025 • 10:04 AM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

December 11, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

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

Veterans' Affairs Committee

December 11, 2025

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

December 17, 2025

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8874; text: CR S8874)

December 17, 2025

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 18, 2025

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

December 18, 2025 • 9:57 AM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

December 18, 2025 • 10:04 AM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 3436 on the floor

1 Republican
Lisa Murkowski
Sen. Lisa MurkowskiR-AK · Dec 17, 2025

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 3436 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I ask…

Record

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued December 17, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 3436

AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the provision of certain services to veterans in the Freely Associated States, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act.

2.

Requirement to provide certain services to veterans in the Freely Associated States

(a)

Telehealth and mail order pharmacy benefits

Section 1724(f)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(C)

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act, the Secretary shall furnish to veterans described in subparagraph (A), subject to agreements described in such subparagraph, telehealth benefits and mail order pharmacy benefits.

.

(b)

Beneficiary travel

Section 111(h)(1) of such title is amended by striking the Secretary may make payments and inserting beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act, the Secretary shall make payments.

(c)

Quarterly report

(1)

In general

Not less frequently than quarterly, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the status of implementation of the amendments made by this section and the cost of such implementation.

(2)

Appropriate committees of Congress defined

In this subsection, the term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(A)

the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B)

the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

3.

Extension of certain limits on payments of pension

Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking January 31, 2033 and inserting March 31, 2033.

Passed the Senate December 17, 2025.

Secretary