To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the process by which the Secretary of Defense verifies that health care professionals of the military departments are appropriately licensed.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3636
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-03T20:04:13Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill aims to enhance the verification process for ensuring that health care professionals in the U.S. military departments hold valid licenses. It focuses on creating a more efficient, centralized system to confirm qualifications, promoting accountability and timely checks.
Key Provisions
- Licensure Requirement Enforcement: The Secretary of Defense must confirm that every individual providing independent health care at Department of Defense (DoD) facilities meets federal licensure standards under existing law (subsection (a) of section 1094).
- Centralized Credential System: A new system must be established to allow commanding officers at any DoD health care facility to verify a professional's license, regardless of the facility's location or the branch of the armed forces involved.
- Verification Timeline: At least 90% of verifications must be completed within seven days of a request, excluding cases involving professionals with adverse records (e.g., disciplinary actions or complaints).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- The bill replaces the entire subsection (b) of section 1094 in title 10 of the U.S. Code, which previously outlined general requirements for licensure verification.
- It introduces a mandatory centralized system and a performance standard (90% completion within seven days), shifting from potentially decentralized or slower processes to a standardized, technology-enabled approach for faster and uniform checks across the military.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The DoD will need to invest in developing and maintaining the centralized system, potentially reducing administrative delays in staffing health care facilities and improving operational efficiency.
- Citizens: Military personnel, veterans, and their families who receive care at DoD facilities may benefit from quicker assurance of provider qualifications, leading to higher confidence in the quality and safety of military health services.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic military health care operations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Defense and Military Branches: Responsible for implementation, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force health care systems.
- Health Care Professionals: Military doctors, nurses, and other independent providers whose licenses will be verified more systematically.
- Commanding Officers: At DoD facilities, who will use the new system for routine checks.
- Patients and Beneficiaries: Active-duty service members, retirees, and dependents relying on military health care.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens compliance with federal standards for professional licensure (under section 1094(a)), potentially reducing risks of malpractice claims by ensuring timely verification; no conflicts with state licensing laws, as it applies to federal military contexts.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority over the armed forces (Article I, Section 8), with no apparent free speech, privacy, or due process concerns, though the system may involve data handling that requires adherence to privacy laws like HIPAA.
- Political: Supports military readiness by prioritizing efficient health care staffing, which could appeal to bipartisan interests in veteran and troop welfare; may prompt future oversight on DoD's system performance metrics.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]
Cosponsors (6)
Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- 2025-05-29: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve the process by which the Secretary of Defense verifies that health care professionals of the military departments are appropriately licensed. — issued 2025-05-29 — PDF (2 pages)