Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act
Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act
Plain Language Summary
# Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act Summary **What It Does** This bill would expand and permanently establish a Department of Veterans Affairs program that helps veterans pay for transportation to medical appointments. Currently, the program only serves veterans in "highly rural" areas, but this bill would extend it to all rural areas. It would also increase the maximum grant amount from its current level to $60,000 per grant (or up to $80,000 if the grant recipient needs to purchase an accessible vehicle to comply with disability laws). **Who It Affects** The bill primarily affects rural and highly rural veterans who struggle to access VA medical care due to distance and transportation barriers.
It also expands eligibility for organizations that can receive these grants—specifically county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations that help veterans arrange transportation. **Current Status** HR 1733 is currently in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives. The bill was sponsored by Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (D-WA).
CRS Official Summary
Rural Veterans Transportation to Care ActThis bill expands and makes permanent the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) grant program that provides transportation options to veterans for medical purposes.First, the bill expands the program to cover transportation for veterans in rural areas, in addition to veterans in highly rural areas (who are already eligible under the program).The bill also authorizes the VA to award such grants to county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations to assist veterans with transportation for medical care.Further, the bill increases the maximum grant amount to $60,000. However, if a grant recipient is required to purchase a vehicle to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, such grant amount may be increased to not more than $80,000.Finally, the bill defines rural and highly rural in the same manner as the terms are given under the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system of the Department of Agriculture. RUCA uses population density and commuting patterns to assign designations.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.