Veterans Omnibus Health Care Act of 1976
Public Law 94-581 · H.R. 2735 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 21, 1976 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. David Satterfield (D-VA-3)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. Olin Teague, Rep. Herbert Roberts,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments)
Veterans Omnibus Health Care Act - =Title I: General Veterans Health Care and Department of Medicine and Surgery Amendments= - Requires cost studies to determine the actual cost of travel to or from Veterans' Administration health facilities incurred by veterans.
Provides for the inclusion of transportation and incidental expenses within the term "domiciliary care" for purposes of such care reimbursed by the Veterans' Administration for veterans unable to defray the expense of transportation.
Authorizes the Administrator to contract for rehabilitative services through private industry or other sources outside the Veterans' Administration in providing for therapeutic work for remuneration for patients and members of the Armed Services in Veterans' Administration health care facilities.
Establishes as a revolving fund in the Treasury the Veterans' Administration Special Therapeutic and Rehabilitative Activities Fund to maintain operating accounts to serve rehabilitative activities under this title.
Institutes procedures for the protection of patient rights of veterans. Directs the Administrator to prescribe regulations establishing procedures to ensure that all medical and prosthetic research carried out shall be carried out only with the full and informed consent of the patient or his representative.
Provides for the confidentiality of medical records pertaining to veterans covered by this Act.
Prohibits Veterans' Administration health care facilities from discriminating against alcohol and drug abusers suffering from medical disabilities in admission or treatment.
=Title II: Medical Technical and Conforming Amendments= - Veterans Medical Technical and Conforming Amendments - Authorizes the Administrator to furnish hospital care which he determines is needed to a veteran of any war or of service after January 31, 1955, for non-service-connected disability if he is unable to defray the expenses of necessary nursing home care. Makes various technical and conforming amendments relating to medical care for veterans.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Oct 21, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-581.
- Oct 12, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 8, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 1, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to Senate amendment.
- Sep 29, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments.
- Sep 16, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 13, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Dec 16, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Dec 15, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Dec 10, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Feb 4, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.