Womack Votes to Support Combat Veterans and Improve Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. — November 13, 2026… This week, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) voted in support of two pieces of legislation aimed at providing American veterans and their families with the proper access to benefits, programs, and services administered by the Department of War (DoW) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): H.R. 2102, the Major Richard Star Act, would allow military retirees with combat-related disabilities who served less than 20 years to concurrently receive full retirement pay and disability benefits H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, is a comprehensive package of more than 60 bipartisan bills to modernize, enhance, and reform benefits and services administered by the DoW and VA—including provisions championed by Congressman Womack to improve veteran access to telemedicine services and service dogs. The bill also includes a version of the Major Richard Star Act. Congressman Womack said, “While we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude we owe our nation’s veterans for their service, Congress has a responsibility to strengthen the systems and resources that contribute to their well-being. The Major Richard Star Act and the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act both help ensure our veterans receive the support they have earned.” Congressman Womack continued, “I am proud that the core tenets of my proposal to preserve veteran access to telemedicine services are included in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, ensuring veterans continue receiving the vital healthcare they require. For our combat veterans, the Major Richard Star Act ensures they are not unfairly penalized for their sacrifice and can receive their full benefits when their military careers are cut short. I look forward to the Senate’s swift consideration of these pieces of legislation so we can support those whose lives have been forever impacted by their service in defense of our nation.” Background on the Major Richard Star Act Under current law, the retirement pay of combat-wounded, medically retired veterans with under 20 years of service is reduced by the amount of VA disability received. The Major Richard Star Act would allow this specific class of veterans to receive both their VA disability compensation and their full retirement pay without offsets. The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act includes a similar version of the Major Richard Star Act, with differences in how benefits are calculated. This version ensures combat-related, medically retired veterans can receive the retirement pay they have earned for their years of service and the VA disability pay that provides for the loss of future opportunities and income due to service-connected injury. The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act is fully offset to be able to provide these additional benefits while protecting our nation’s fiscal future. Background on veteran access to telemedicine services in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act: The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 was enacted on April 13, 2009. This bill was designed to combat the rogue internet pharmacies that proliferated in the late 90s, selling controlled substances online. Under this Act, a practitioner is required to conduct at least one in-person medical evaluation of the patient before issuing a prescription for a controlled substance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, requirements under the Ryan Haight Act for a patient to meet with a practitioner in-person for the prescription of a controlled substance were temporarily waived. On November 19, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the continuation of a temporary extension of flexibilities around telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances from the COVID-19 public health emergency through December 31, 2025. Congressman Womack introduced the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025 to make this extension permanent. The House passed the legislation in September 2025. Read more HERE . On December 31, 2025, the DEA and HHS announced a further extension of telemedicine flexibilities through December 31, 2026. The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act would extend many of the core tenets of Congressman Womack’s legislation, including allowing for the prescription, delivery, distribution, and dispensation of controlled substance medication through telemedicine. Background on veteran access to service dogs in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act: The Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veteran Therapy Act, or PAWS Act, was enacted on August 25, 2021. This bill created a pilot program on dog-based therapy to provide dog-training skills and service dogs to veterans with PTSD. This bipartisan legislation aims to reduce veteran suicide connected to mental health conditions. On April 2, 2025, the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act, or SAVES Act, was introduced to assist nonprofit organizations in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans. Congressman Womack cosponsored the SAVES Act—included in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act—which builds on the PAWS Act to broaden access to the life-saving assistance service dogs can provide. In addition to these important programs, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act would: Expand and refine VA health programs, grants, research initiatives, and pilots, and strengthen access to specialized care. Protect employees from government overreach by improving policies and transparency in the hiring, development, retention, and accountability of the VA workforce. Require the VA to conduct preventative health evaluations of veterans with spinal cord injuries and assess them for eligibility for modern assistive mobility devices. The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act bill text is available HERE . Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. womack.house.gov ###