Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama has partnered with Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas to introduce the Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025. This proposed legislation aims to enhance veterans' access to care through providers within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community.

"Veterans have paid the ultimate sacrifice in order to secure our freedom," said Sen. Tuberville. "Over the last four years, many veterans have endured painfully long wait times and few options for care outside the VA. We should be providing quality and timely community care options—not making it harder for veterans to even get through the door."

Senators Jim Banks of Indiana and Thom Tillis of North Carolina are also supporting this initiative. The bill is endorsed by several veteran organizations including the Wounded Warrior Project, Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, and others.

The ACCESS Act proposes setting community care access standards as a baseline for veterans seeking care in their communities. It seeks to increase access to treatment programs for mental health conditions or addiction and expand criteria that VA considers when deciding if a veteran should be referred to community care.

Last year, Sen. Tuberville collaborated with Sen. Moran in requesting former Secretary McDonough reassess VA actions that reduced referrals to community care. Additionally, Tuberville worked with Sen. Rubio on the Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act aimed at maintaining continuity of healthcare for veterans.

Senator Tommy Tuberville serves Alabama in the United States Senate and is part of several committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging.