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To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot program on providing access to a senior exercise program for enrolled veterans, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a three-year pilot program providing eligible veterans access to SilverSneakers or a comparable senior exercise program as part of VA health care. The pilot program will be available to veterans enrolled in the VA patient enrollment system, on either a national or regional basis as determined by the VA Secretary. The Secretary may establish additional eligibility criteria for participation through regulations. Within 180 days after the pilot program ends, the VA Secretary must submit a report to Congress detailing participation rates, program costs, health outcomes analysis, and recommendations regarding whether to make the program permanent.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
6 cosponsors
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE)
- Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4] (D-NY)
- Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large] (D-DE)
- Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47] (D-CA)
- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO)
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA)
Actions (3)
- Jan 15, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. · house
- Dec 11, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · house
- Dec 11, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 11, 2025
Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia (for herself, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Panetta, and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a pilot program on providing access to a senior exercise program for enrolled veterans, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Fit Vets Act”.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON ACCESS TO SENIOR EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR ENROLLED VETERANS.
(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to provide to eligible veterans described in subsection (b) access to the health and fitness program referred to as “SilverSneakers”, or another evidence-based senior exercise program the Secretary determines comparable to such program, as part of the health care furnished under the laws administered by the Secretary.
(b) Eligible Veterans.—An eligible veteran described in this subsection is a veteran—
(1) enrolled in the patient enrollment system under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code; and
(2) who satisfies the criteria for participation in the pilot program under subsection (a), as established by the Secretary in regulations.
(c) Scope.—The Secretary may carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) on a national or regional basis, as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(d) Termination.—The authority to carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is three years after the date of the establishment of the pilot program.
(e) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date on which the pilot program terminates under subsection (c), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report containing the following:
(1) The rates of participation in such pilot program by covered veterans.
(2) The costs of such pilot program.
(3) An analysis of the effect of such pilot program on the health outcomes of participants, including with respect to physical fitness and chronic disease management.
(4) Recommendations by the Secretary on whether to make such pilot program permanent. <all>
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