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S. 3771

Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026

Shown here: Introduced in Senate (2026-02-04)

To amend title 38, United States Code, to codify the requirements for appointment, qualifications, and pay for therapeutic medical physicists of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026”.

2. Treatment of therapeutic medical physicists of the Department of Veterans Affairs

(a) Appointment

Section 7401(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting “therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “physician assistants,”.

(b) Qualifications

Section 7402(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph (16); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following new paragraphs:

(14) Therapeutic medical physicist
To be eligible to be appointed to a therapeutic medical physicist position, a person must—
(A) have completed a post-graduate clinical training program in therapeutic medical physics satisfactory to the Secretary; and
(B) be board certified in the field of therapeutic medical physics by a certifying body approved by the Secretary.
(15) Diagnostic medical physicist
To be eligible to be appointed to a diagnostic medical physicist position, a person must—
(A) have completed a post-graduate clinical training program in diagnostic medical physics satisfactory to the Secretary; and
(B) be board certified in the field of diagnostic medical physics by a certifying body approved by the Secretary.

(c) Grade

Section 7404(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by inserting “THERAPEUTIC MEDICAL PHYSICIST, DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL PHYSICIST,” after “PODIATRIST (DPM),”; and

(2) by inserting after “Podiatrist grade optometrist grade.” the following:

Therapeutic medical physicist grade.
Diagnostic medical physicist grade.

(d) Personnel administration

Section 7421(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (11); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraphs:

(9) Therapeutic medical physicists.
(10) Diagnostic medical physicists.

(e) Pay

(1) In general

Section 7431 of such title is amended—

(A) by inserting “, Therapeutic Medical Physicist, Diagnostic Medical Physicist” before “, and Dentist Base” each place it appears;

(B) by inserting “therapeutic medical physicist, diagnostic medical physicist,” after “podiatrist,” each place it appears;

(C) by inserting “therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “podiatrists,” each place it appears; and

(D) in subsection (e)(1)(A), by inserting “, therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “podiatrists”.

(2) Administrative matters

Section 7433 of such title is amended by inserting “therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “podiatrists,” each place it appears.

(3) Conforming amendment

The heading of subchapter III of chapter 74 of such title is amended by inserting “Therapeutic Medical Physicists, Diagnostic Medical Physicists” after “Podiatrists,”.

(4) Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to subchapter III and inserting the following new item:

Subchapter III—Pay for Physicians, Podiatrists, Therapeutic Medical Physicists, Diagnostic Medical Physicists, and Dentists

(f) Report

(1) In general

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the amendments made by this section.

(2) Elements

The report required by paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the following:

(A) The effects of an increase in pay for therapeutic medical physicists and diagnostic medical physicists employed on a full-time basis within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(B) The effects on therapeutic medical physicists and diagnostic medical physicists who provide care pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary.

(C) Any change to costs to the Department.

Workspace/Typeset/Bill

S. 3771

Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026

Shown here: Introduced in Senate (2026-02-04)

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act of 2026”.

2. Treatment of therapeutic medical physicists of the Department of Veterans Affairs

(a) Appointment

Section 7401(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting “therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “physician assistants,”.

(b) Qualifications

Section 7402(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph (16); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following new paragraphs:

(14) Therapeutic medical physicist
To be eligible to be appointed to a therapeutic medical physicist position, a person must—
(A) have completed a post-graduate clinical training program in therapeutic medical physics satisfactory to the Secretary; and
(B) be board certified in the field of therapeutic medical physics by a certifying body approved by the Secretary.
(15) Diagnostic medical physicist
To be eligible to be appointed to a diagnostic medical physicist position, a person must—
(A) have completed a post-graduate clinical training program in diagnostic medical physics satisfactory to the Secretary; and
(B) be board certified in the field of diagnostic medical physics by a certifying body approved by the Secretary.

(c) Grade

Section 7404(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by inserting “THERAPEUTIC MEDICAL PHYSICIST, DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL PHYSICIST,” after “PODIATRIST (DPM),”; and

(2) by inserting after “Podiatrist grade optometrist grade.” the following:

Therapeutic medical physicist grade.
Diagnostic medical physicist grade.

(d) Personnel administration

Section 7421(b) of such title is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (11); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraphs:

(9) Therapeutic medical physicists.
(10) Diagnostic medical physicists.

(e) Pay

(1) In general

Section 7431 of such title is amended—

(A) by inserting “, Therapeutic Medical Physicist, Diagnostic Medical Physicist” before “, and Dentist Base” each place it appears;

(B) by inserting “therapeutic medical physicist, diagnostic medical physicist,” after “podiatrist,” each place it appears;

(C) by inserting “therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “podiatrists,” each place it appears; and

(D) in subsection (e)(1)(A), by inserting “, therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “podiatrists”.

(2) Administrative matters

Section 7433 of such title is amended by inserting “therapeutic medical physicists, diagnostic medical physicists,” after “podiatrists,” each place it appears.

(3) Conforming amendment

The heading of subchapter III of chapter 74 of such title is amended by inserting “Therapeutic Medical Physicists, Diagnostic Medical Physicists” after “Podiatrists,”.

(4) Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 74 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to subchapter III and inserting the following new item:

Subchapter III—Pay for Physicians, Podiatrists, Therapeutic Medical Physicists, Diagnostic Medical Physicists, and Dentists

(f) Report

(1) In general

(2) Elements

The report required by paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the following:

(A) The effects of an increase in pay for therapeutic medical physicists and diagnostic medical physicists employed on a full-time basis within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(B) The effects on therapeutic medical physicists and diagnostic medical physicists who provide care pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary.

(C) Any change to costs to the Department.