{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2838", "Bacon, Horsford, Kiggans, and Houlahan Introduce Bipartisan Bill Improving Health Care Access for Military Families", "2025-12-20", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) introduced the Military Care Access, Reporting, and Evaluation (Military CARE) Act, bipartisan legislation to modernize how TRICARE beneficiaries report and resolve health care access challenges at military treatment facilities.\n\nThe Military CARE Act addresses access-to-care gaps by creating a secure, standardized digital platform for TRICARE beneficiaries to submit and monitor care issues, requiring real-time notifications to patient advocates, directing the Defense Health Agency to analyze complaint trends each quarter, and mandating annual reports to Congress that outline challenges and corrective actions.\n\n\u201cOur military families deserve timely care and a clear path to raise concerns when the system falls short. The Military CARE Act gives service members and their families a direct line to report care access issues and track their resolution, while ensuring Congress has the data needed to identify and fix systemic problems across the military health system,\u201d Rep. Bacon said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to co-lead this vital effort with Rep. Horsford to strengthen access to care for the families who sacrifice so much in service to our nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cMilitary families serve our nation and sacrifice so much for it, and they deserve a health care system that serves them just as well,\u201d Rep. Horsford said. \u201cToo many families struggle to get timely appointments or clear information, and they\u2019re left without a reliable way to raise concerns or track whether problems are fixed. This bipartisan bill gives military families a real voice, gives providers the tools to respond quickly, and gives Congress the oversight needed to ensure servicemembers and their loved ones are never left behind.When we support our families, we strengthen the entire force.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to timely, reliable health care is both a personal issue and a readiness issue. Too often, military families hit administrative roadblocks or long delays with no clear way to raise concerns or track whether problems are being fixed,\u201d Rep. Houlahan said. \u201cThe Military CARE Act brings transparency and accountability to the system by giving TRICARE beneficiaries a straightforward way to report access issues and ensures those concerns reach patient advocates and senior leaders. This bipartisan, commonsense bill helps Congress identify systemic gaps and ensures our military health system works for the people it\u2019s meant to serve.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday, America\u2019s servicemembers, veterans, and military families are forced to fight endless red tape and navigate a confusing and deeply frustrating system to get the healthcare they have earned,\u201d Rep. Goodlander said. \u201cThat\u2019s not right. Our commonsense bipartisan bill will cut senseless red tape, restore basic accountability, and return the power back where it belongs: with patients. This bill is about ensuring accountability, strengthening readiness, and keeping the sacred promise we make to those who serve our country.\u201d\n\n\u201cWithout reliable data and transparency, access-to-care problems in the military health system remain unseen and unresolved,\u201d Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, USAF (Ret), President and CEO, Military Officers Association of America said. \u201cThe Military CARE Act ensures beneficiary experiences are captured, tracked, and reported \u2013 giving leaders and Congress the visibility needed to identify systemic issues and drive meaningful, lasting improvements for military families. MOAA is grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Reps. Horsford, Kiggans, Bacon, and Houlahan in advancing this critical reform and MOAA priority.\u201d\n\nThe bipartisan Military Care Act, co-led by Reps. Don Bacon (NE-02) Steven Horsford (NV-04), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) also includes the following original cosponsors: Reps. Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), and James Moylan (GU-AL).\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), Air and Space Forces Association (AFA), Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), AMVETS, Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Services (COA), Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Gold Star Spouses of America, Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV), Military Chaplains Association (MCA), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), National Military Family Association (NMFA), Naval Enlisted Reserve Association (NERA), Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Secure Families Initiative, Service Women\u2019s Action Network (SWAN), SPARTA, The Enlisted Association (TREA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), TRICARE for Kids Coalition (TFK), U.S. Army Warrant Officers Association (USAWOA), USCG Chief Petty Officers Association (CPOA), and Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)\n\nRead the full text of the Military CARE Act here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2838"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8472800254821777, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}