A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend and modify certain authorities and requirements relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Public Law 118-19 · S. 2795 · 118th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Oct 6, 2023 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Jerry Moran
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
This act extends the eligibility or applicability of various Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs and benefits.
First, the act extends from three to five years the authority for additional licensed health care professionals (i.e., physician assistants, nurse practitioners, audiologists, and psychologists) to perform medical disability examinations as part of the existing VA pilot program related to the use of contract physicians for disability examinations.
Currently, when an individual transfers fewer than 12 credits from a program of education that is closed or disapproved, the individual is deemed to have not received those credits, and no charge from the individual's entitlement to education assistance may be made for that period of enrollment. Under the act, this period of relief for those affected by a closure or disapproval is extended by two years to apply to programs that close or discontinue before September 30, 2025.
The act extends through FY2028 the authorization for VA emergency preparedness for public health emergencies.
The act also extends the applicability of certain loan fee rates through November 15, 2031, under the VA's home loan program.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 5377Related bill
To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend and modify certain authorities and requirements relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Oct 6, 2023Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 118-19.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 4, 2023FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Sep 26, 2023FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2795.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Sep 18, 2023FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 13, 2023FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.