[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1853 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1853

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of 
 direct housing loans and medical care from the Department of Veterans 
                     Affairs for Native Hawaiians.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 21, 2025

Ms. Hirono (for herself and Mr. Schatz) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of 
 direct housing loans and medical care from the Department of Veterans 
                     Affairs for Native Hawaiians.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Parity for Native Hawaiian Veterans 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. MODIFICATION TO PROGRAM FOR DIRECT HOUSING LOANS MADE TO NATIVE 
              AMERICAN VETERANS BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 3765(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``as that term'' and all that follows through ``42 Stat. 
108)'' and inserting ``as defined in section 801 of the Native American 
Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 
4221)''.

SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENT OF PROVISION OF MEDICAL CARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS.

    (a) Reimbursement of Costs of Certain Care Provided Through Native 
Hawaiian Health Care System.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 17 of title 38, 
        United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1703G 
        the following new section:
``Sec. 1703H. Reimbursement of costs of certain care provided through 
              Native Hawaiian health care system
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall reimburse a Native Hawaiian 
health care system for the costs of care or services provided through 
such system to veterans eligible for such care or services under the 
laws administered by the Secretary, regardless of whether such care or 
services are provided directly through such system, through purchased 
or referred care, or through a contract for travel.
    ``(b) Native Hawaiian Health Care System Defined.--The term `Native 
Hawaiian health care system' has the meaning given that term in section 
12 of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act (42 U.S.C. 
11711).''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 1703G the following new item:

``1703H. Reimbursement of costs of certain care provided through Native 
                            Hawaiian health care system.''.
    (b) Exemption From Cost Sharing.--Section 1730A(b) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``; or'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) is a Native Hawaiian (as defined in section 12 of the 
        Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act (42 U.S.C. 
        11711)).''.
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