By Blox Content Management,Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate
Copyright mvariety
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just nine months into her first term in Congress, U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King- Hinds celebrated the House passage of her first bill, H.R. 3400, the Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare or TRAVEL Act of 2025, constituting a major step toward improving healthcare access for veterans in the U.S. territories.
“This is a win for our veterans in the Marianas and throughout the territories,” said Congresswoman King-Hinds. “They served our nation with honor. They deserve access to care without having to fly thousands of miles to receive it.”
The TRAVEL Act addresses the lack of specialized medical care available to veterans in the CNMI and other remote U.S. territories. The bill authorizes the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to assign VA physicians and specialists to hard-to-reach areas, including the Marianas, for up to one year. These providers will receive travel bonuses and will help fill critical gaps in service delivery across the Pacific and beyond.
The bill received strong support from veterans in the CNMI, including Purple Heart recipient and U.S. Marine veteran Randy Johnson, who flew to Washington to testify before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Johnson shared firsthand the difficulties CNMI veterans face in accessing timely care and strongly urged passage of the bill.
“I’m deeply grateful to Mr. Johnson and to every veteran who shared their story to make this possible,” said King-Hinds. “Their voices carried this bill forward, and their experiences shaped its purpose.”
Congresswoman King-Hinds also thanked her colleagues, Congressman James Moylan of Guam and Congresswoman Amata Radewagen of American Samoa, who joined her as original co- sponsors of the bill.
She also extended her appreciation to House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost and the committee’s dedicated staff, whose work helped move the TRAVEL Act swiftly through committee consideration and onto the House floor.
The TRAVEL Act passed the House with bipartisan support and now heads to the Senate. “This is about doing right by the people who served, and making sure no veteran is left behind because of where they live,” said Congresswoman King-Hinds. “I’m proud that my first bill to pass the House is one that reflects the values of service, fairness, and real solutions.”
