U.S. Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce legislation aimed at expanding Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for U.S. veterans living in the Freely Associated States (FAS) of Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. The initiative is led by Senators Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Brian Schatz. Other supporters include Senators Roger Wicker, Richard Blumenthal, John Boozman, Mazie Hirono, Martin Heinrich, Lisa Murkowski, and Jeanne Shaheen.
The proposed Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act would require the VA to provide telehealth services, mail-order pharmacy benefits, and beneficiary travel reimbursements to eligible veterans in the FAS within one year after enactment. Citizens from these states have some of the highest per capita enlistment rates in the U.S. military. In exchange for exclusive U.S. military basing rights in these countries, the United States provides their military defense under longstanding compact agreements.
Senator Risch stated: “Veterans from Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia who have bravely served our country deserve the best care that we can give them. The Caring for Veterans and Strengthening National Security Act ensures that these veterans receive care that honors their service and our unique relationships with the Freely Associated States. I’m grateful to Senator Moran for spearheading this important legislation.”
Senator Moran commented: “We have a commitment to support and care for those who have served our nation. This legislation confirms our commitment to helping veterans succeed after their military service is over and bolsters our longstanding and unique relationships with these three important countries in the Pacific. I thank my colleagues for supporting this legislation that would improve services for our nation’s veterans and support our collective national security interests abroad.”
Senator Schatz added: “U.S. veterans in the FAS deserve the same care as all other servicemembers, without having to navigate complex, costly barriers or travel long distances just to see a doctor or get medication. This bill ensures servicemembers can finally access the care they deserve.”
Senator Wicker shared his experience: “This summer, I visited with veterans living in the Freely Associated States. They described their inability to access the travel and health care benefits that veterans in the United States receive. This legislation would resolve that problem. At the same time, it would strengthen our relationship with these vital Pacific partners as the region grows increasingly dangerous.”
Other senators also emphasized commitments made by past agreements between nations:
“Veterans who served our country must receive the care and benefits they were promised and earned,” said Sen. Blumenthal. “Continuing this longstanding arrangement for COFA veterans is critical to our national security. Now more than ever, we need to ensure the US delivers on its commitments to these countries who we rely on for forward basing in the IndoPacific.”
“We have a duty to fulfill the promises made to those who have sacrificed for our country including veterans in the Marshall Islands and their FAS peers,” said Sen. Boozman. “I’m pleased to join this bipartisan initiative to ensure access to earned benefits isn’t constrained by where a veteran calls home. Providing telehealth, medication delivery flexibility and travel reimbursement will honor our compact and maintain strong ties that serve our shared interests.”
“COFA citizens who served in our military deserve access to the same health care services and benefits as any other American veteran,” said Sen. Hirono.“That’s why we secured language in the renegotiated Compacts of Free Association to enable VA to provide care to COFA veterans without them having to travel out of country.I am proud to introduce this common-sense legislation to ensure VA makes good on its obligationto COFAveteransand maintainourstrong partnershipwiththeFreelyAssociatedStatesandtheir citizens.”
“Ensuring that all veterans have access tothebenefitstheyhaveearnedissimplytherightthingtodo,”saidSen.Heinrich.“VeteransfromtheMarshallIslands,PalauandMicronesiaansweredthecallandservedtheircountry.Weoweitotothesemenandwomento honortheirsacrificeandcareforthemwhentheycomehome—wherevertheychoosetolive.Thislegislationisameaningfulsteptowardkeepingournation’spromisetotakecareofveteranswhilealsobolsteringnationalsecurityinterestsabroad.”
Kalani R.Kaneko,the MinisterofForeignAffairsfortheMarshallIslands,supportedthebill:“IstronglysupportthisbipartisanlegislationtoextendVAhealthcaretoveteransintheFreelyAssociatedStates.Thisisnotapoliticalissue,itispersonalandrootedinsharedsacrifice.AsaretiredU.S.Armyveteran,Irecruitednearly200Marshallese menandwomenwhoservedundertheU.S.flagandearnedthesebenefits.Allowingveteranstoreceivecareathomestrengthensfamilies stabilizescommunities,andadvancessharednationalsecurityinterestsbyreducingforcedMarshalleseout-migrationdrivenbylackofaccesstocare ,whilereinforcingtheenduringdefensepartnershipbetweentheUnitedStatesandtheRepublicoftheMarshallIslands.ThislegislationhonorstheserviceofMarshalleseandAmericanveteransalikeandisa win-winforbothnations.”
Jackson Soram,theAmbassadoroftheFederatedStatesofMicronesiatotheUnitedStates ,added:”FSMisproudtohavesomeofthehighestenlistmentratesofourcitizenswhohavevolunteeredtoserveintheU.S.military .However,veteranswhoreturnhometotheFSMafterservinghavefacedsignificantcostandaccessbarrierstocarethroughtheexistingForeignMedicalProgram.TheCompactofFreeAssociationAmendmentsActof2024removedstatutorybarriersforveteranstoaccesstheirearnedVAhealthcarebenefits.WeappreciatethestrongbipartisanleadershipofSenatorsMoran ,Schatz,Wicker,Hirono,Boozman ,Blumenthal,Risch ,Heinrich,Murkowski,andShaheenontheCaringforVeteransandStrengtheningNationalSecurityAct ,whichwilldirecttheVAtoprovidcertainnecessaryhealthcareservicesincludingtelehealth ,mailorderpharmacybenefits,andbeneficiarytravelconsistentwiththecongressionalintentoftheprovisionsoftheCOFAAmendmentsActof2024.”
Hersey Kyota,theAmbassadorofPalautoTheUnitedStates ,DeanOfTheDiplomaticCorpsintheUnitedStates,summarizedPalau’sposition:”AtopU.S.militarycommandercalledPalau’partofthehomeland.’WeeffectivelyareinaTexas-sizedareanexttoAsia,’saidHerseyKyota,AmbassadorofPalautoTheUnitedStates.DeanofthediplomaticcorpsintheUnitedStates.’OnereasonisthatwelettheU.S.militarybaseradars,missiletests,a runway,andadock.Moreimportantlythough,itrecruitsouryoung.Mostcan’tcomehomeaftertheirservicehowever,becausetheycan’tgettheVAhealthcaretowhichthey’reentitled.Thatdevaluestheirservice,deprivesPalauoftheirskills,anddeprivestheU.S.ofcompellingcitizenambassadors.PresidentWhippsandhisteamhaveworkedtohavethisinequitycorrected,andlastyear’sbipartisanU.S.lawtostrengthenthefreeassociationthatbindsournationsalmostasonewasintendedtodothat.Thisnewbillwould.Palaugreatlyappreciatesit.'”
In 2024,the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act gave VA authoritytoprovidemedicalservicesandbeneficiarytravelbenefitsto U.S.veteransresidingintheFAS.To date,thisauthorityhasnotbeenexercisedbytheVA.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee plays an essential role within Congress as one of its original standing committees established in 1816; it develops U.S.foreign policy through legislative examination,such as treaties like those underpinning relations with Pacific nations [source]. The committee designates its Chairman from among majority members while minority members are led by a Ranking Member [source]. Over time,it has shaped major international initiatives including supporting postwar recovery plans [source].
