Sponsors (7)
The bill reduces out-of-pocket travel costs for service members by expanding rental car reimbursements and setting a 180-day implementation deadline, at the cost of higher federal spending and added administrative burden to implement the change.
Service members who travel more than 150 miles for training will have rental car costs reimbursed for the entire duty period and for travel days before and after, reducing out-of-pocket travel expenses.
DoD and other agencies are given a clear 180-day deadline and implementation direction, which should speed access to the new reimbursements and reduce uncertainty for claimants.
Taxpayers may face higher federal spending to cover the expanded rental car reimbursements for service travel.
DoD and finance offices will likely see increased administrative workload to update regulations and process a larger number of or more complex reimbursement claims within the 180-day implementation window.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires rental-car reimbursement for uniformed service members who travel more than 150 miles for qualifying training or duty, covering the duty period and adjacent travel days.
Introduced February 17, 2026 by Tony Gonzales · Last progress February 17, 2026
Requires that a member of the uniformed services who travels more than 150 miles for qualifying training or duty be reimbursed for actual and necessary motor-vehicle rental costs for the entire training or duty period and for any travel day immediately before or after that period. Directs the Secretary of Defense to update the Joint Travel Regulations to implement this change within 180 days of enactment.