Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 3771
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-14T11:03:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation, titled the "Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026," aims to formally recognize therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) workforce. It establishes their appointment processes, qualifications, and pay structures to align them with other specialized medical professionals, potentially removing pay limitations to improve recruitment and retention.
Key Provisions
- Appointment Eligibility: Adds therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists to the list of positions the VA can appoint under federal law (Section 7401 of Title 38, U.S. Code).
- Qualifications: Requires candidates to complete a post-graduate clinical training program approved by the VA Secretary and hold board certification from an approved body in their respective field (therapeutic or diagnostic medical physics) (Section 7402).
- Pay and Grade Structure: Includes these physicists in the VA's pay system for physicians, podiatrists, and dentists, establishing specific pay grades and allowing them to receive compensation comparable to these roles without traditional caps (Sections 7404, 7431, and 7433).
- Personnel Administration: Treats them similarly to other medical professionals for administrative purposes, such as scheduling and oversight (Section 7421).
- Reporting Requirement: Mandates the VA Secretary to submit a report to Congress within one year of enactment, assessing impacts on pay increases, effects on contract-based physicists, and any cost changes to the VA.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands the definition of appointable VA health professionals to explicitly include therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists, who were previously not codified in this way.
- Integrates them into the higher pay scales typically reserved for physicians, podiatrists, and dentists, effectively lifting pay caps that may have limited their compensation under prior rules.
- Updates chapter headings, subchapter titles, and tables of contents in Title 38 to reflect their inclusion, ensuring legal consistency.
- Redesignates paragraphs in existing sections to accommodate the new categories without disrupting other provisions.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The VA may face increased personnel costs due to higher salaries but could benefit from improved ability to hire and retain specialized physicists, enhancing radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging services for veterans.
- On Citizens: Veterans relying on VA healthcare could gain better access to advanced cancer treatment and imaging services, as these professionals ensure safe and effective use of radiation equipment.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic VA operations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Veterans Affairs: Directly responsible for implementation, including hiring, training, and budgeting.
- Therapeutic and Diagnostic Medical Physicists: Gain formalized recognition, clearer qualification paths, and potentially higher pay, both for VA employees and those working under contracts with the VA.
- Veterans and VA Healthcare Recipients: Benefit from a more robust workforce in specialized medical physics fields.
- Congressional Committees on Veterans' Affairs: Involved in oversight through the required report.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Codifies previously informal practices, providing statutory clarity and reducing potential disputes over pay equity under federal employment laws. Ensures compliance with certification standards to maintain patient safety in radiation-based treatments.
- Constitutional: No apparent challenges; aligns with Congress's authority to regulate federal agencies and veteran benefits under Article I.
- Political: Supports VA modernization efforts by addressing workforce shortages in niche medical fields, potentially appealing to bipartisan interests in veteran healthcare without introducing controversial mandates or funding shifts.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR], Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- 2026-02-04: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026 — issued 2026-02-04 — PDF (5 pages)