Bill Summary
The "Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act" aims to enhance and adapt the Department of Veterans Affairs' grant program to provide innovative transportation solutions specifically for veterans living in rural and highly rural areas. The legislation amends existing provisions to include county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations as eligible grant recipients, allowing for greater community involvement in supporting veterans. It also increases the maximum grant amount from $60,000 to $80,000 if the funds are used to purchase vehicles compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Additionally, the Act clarifies definitions related to rural classifications based on the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas coding system and removes the previous cap on funding, allowing for necessary fiscal appropriations to meet the program's demands. Overall, the Act seeks to ensure that veterans in remote areas have improved access to transportation for their healthcare needs.
Possible Impacts
The "Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act" could affect people in the following ways:
1. **Improved Access to Healthcare Services**: By expanding transportation options for veterans living in highly rural areas, the legislation could significantly enhance access to medical care. Veterans who previously faced challenges in traveling long distances to hospitals or clinics may now have reliable transportation services, leading to improved health outcomes and easier access to necessary treatments.
2. **Support for Local Organizations**: The inclusion of county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations as eligible recipients for transportation grants can empower local communities. These organizations can develop tailored transportation solutions that meet the specific needs of veterans in their regions, fostering a sense of community support and engagement among veterans and their families.
3. **Financial Assistance for Vehicle Acquisition**: The provision allowing grants of up to $80,000 for purchasing vehicles, especially those compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, can alleviate the financial burden on organizations tasked with providing transportation. This could enable better-equipped transport services for veterans with disabilities, ensuring they receive the assistance they need to access care and improve their quality of life.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1733 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1733
To expand and modify the grant program of the Department of Veterans
Affairs to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in
highly rural areas, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 27, 2025
Ms. Perez (for herself, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Vasquez, Mr. Davis of North
Carolina, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Mr. Golden of
Maine, and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To expand and modify the grant program of the Department of Veterans
Affairs to provide innovative transportation options to veterans in
highly rural areas, 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 ``Rural Veterans Transportation to
Care Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION AND MODIFICATION OF TRANSPORTATION GRANT PROGRAM OF
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Section 307 of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services
Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-163; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``rural or''
before ``highly'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting ``rural or'' before ``highly''
each place it appears;
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as
subparagraph (C);
(ii) by inserting after subparagraph (A)
the following new subparagraph (B):
``(B) County veterans service organizations.''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
new subparagraph:
``(D) Tribal organizations.'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``A State
veterans service agency or veterans service
organization awarded'' and inserting ``A recipient
of''; and
(D) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the
following new paragraph (4):
``(4) Maximum amount.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), the amount of a grant under this
section may not exceed $60,000.
``(B) Additional amount to purchase a vehicle.--The
amount of a grant under this section to a recipient may
be increased to an amount not to exceed $80,000 if the
recipient is required to purchase a vehicle to comply
with the requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) in
carrying out this section.'';
(3) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (1) and
inserting the following:
``(1) Rural; highly rural.--The terms `rural' and `highly
rural' have the meanings given those terms under the Rural-
Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system of the Department of
Agriculture.''; and
(4) in subsection (d), by striking ``$3,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2010 through 2022'' and inserting ``such sums as
may be necessary''.
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