Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act”.
Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act
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.
Sec. 2 Requirement to provide certain services to veterans in the Freely Associated States
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.”
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”.
Quarterly report—
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.
Appropriate committees of Congress defined— In this subsection, the term appropriate committees of Congress means—
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
Sec. 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”.