[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6695 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6695

     To amend title 38, United States Code, to conform the mileage 
     reimbursement rates used under the beneficiary travel program 
   administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the mileage 
 reimbursement rates for Government employees on official business who 
 use privately owned vehicles, to eliminate all deductibles under the 
beneficiary travel program, to ensure that all veterans can participate 
       in the beneficiary travel program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2008

  Mr. Walz of Minnesota (for himself, Mr. Courtney, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. 
    Hall of New York, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Hill, Mr. Kagen, Mr. Kline of 
   Minnesota, Mr. Kuhl of New York, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. 
   Space, Ms. Sutton, and Mr. Peterson of Minnesota) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 38, United States Code, to conform the mileage 
     reimbursement rates used under the beneficiary travel program 
   administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the mileage 
 reimbursement rates for Government employees on official business who 
 use privately owned vehicles, to eliminate all deductibles under the 
beneficiary travel program, to ensure that all veterans can participate 
       in the beneficiary travel program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 2. VETERANS BENEFICIARY TRAVEL PROGRAM.

    (a) Determination of Mileage Reimbursement Rate.--Subsection (g) of 
section 111 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(g)(1) In determining the amount of any allowance or 
reimbursement to be paid under this section, the Secretary shall use 
the mileage reimbursement rates for the use of privately owned vehicles 
by Government employees on official business, as prescribed by the 
Administrator of General Services under section 5707(b) of title 5.
    ``(2) Subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out 
this section, the Secretary may modify the amount of allowances or 
reimbursement to be paid under this section using a mileage 
reimbursement rate in excess of the rate prescribed under paragraph 
(1).
    ``(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary 
shall not make payments under this section for travel performed by a 
special mode of travel unless--
            ``(i) the travel by the special mode of travel is medically 
        required and is authorized by the Secretary before the travel 
        begins; or
            ``(ii) the travel by the special mode of travel is in 
        connection with a medical emergency of such a nature that the 
        delay incident to obtaining authorization from the Secretary to 
        use that mode of travel would have been hazardous to the 
        person's life or health.
    ``(B) In the case of travel by a person to or from a Department 
facility by special mode of travel, the Secretary may provide payment 
under this section to the provider of the transportation by special 
mode before determining the eligibility of such person for such payment 
if the Secretary determines that providing such payment is in the best 
interest of furnishing care and services. Such a payment shall be made 
subject to subsequently recovering from such person the amount of the 
payment if such person is determined to have been ineligible for 
payment for such travel.
    ``(4) In no event shall payment be provided under this section--
            ``(A) to reimburse for the cost of travel by privately 
        owned vehicle in any amount in excess of the cost of such 
        travel by public transportation unless--
                    ``(i) public transportation is not reasonably 
                accessible or would be medically inadvisable, or
                    ``(ii) the cost of such travel is not greater than 
                the cost of public transportation; and
            ``(B) in excess of the actual expense incurred by the 
        person claiming reimbursement, as certified in writing by such 
        person.''.
    (b) Elimination of Deductions.--Such section is further amended by 
striking subsection (c).
    (c) Eligible Recipients.--Subsection (b) of such section is amended 
to read as follows:
    ``(b) With respect to any fiscal year, if the Secretary exercises 
the authority provided by subsection (a) to make payments, the 
Secretary shall make the payments available to or for all persons 
eligible for examination, treatment, care, rehabilitation, or 
counseling described in subsection (a).''.
    (d) Implementation Report.--Not later than 14 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
containing an estimate of the additional costs incurred by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs because of the amendments made by this 
section.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to travel expenses incurred after the expiration of 
the 90-day period that begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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