Sponsors (3)
The bill raises standards and transparency for VA medical physicists to improve veteran care and workforce professionalism, while likely increasing VA staffing costs and causing short-term disruption for contractors and hiring in underserved areas.
Veterans will receive more consistent, qualified medical physics services because the VA requires post‑graduate clinical training and board certification for VA-employed therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists.
VA-employed therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists gain formal recognition with clear qualification standards and career pathways, improving hiring, retention, and career progression for healthcare workers at the VA.
Taxpayers and policymakers will get better transparency about staffing costs because the bill requires a report within one year assessing pay effects and Department costs, informing future staffing decisions.
Taxpayers may face higher VA personnel costs if new pay grades or certification-driven hiring increases salaries or staffing expenses.
Contracted medical physicists and private contractors could see reduced demand or altered contract terms as the VA shifts toward hiring more full‑time, certified staff.
Veterans in underserved or rural areas might experience temporary slower recruitment as new certification and training requirements limit the short-term pool of eligible hires.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists to VA pay and personnel statutes, sets training and board‑certification requirements, and requires a report on pay effects and costs.
Adds explicit statutory recognition and pay/grade treatment for therapeutic and diagnostic medical physicists employed or contracted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill sets qualification standards (post‑graduate clinical training and board certification by a Secretary‑approved body), places these occupations into VA personnel and pay provisions, and requires a one‑year report to Congress on pay increases’ effects and any change in Department costs.
Introduced February 4, 2026 by Timothy Michael Kaine · Last progress February 4, 2026