[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6551 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6551

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the payments or 
allowances that individuals, including veterans service organizations, 
  receive for transportation of veterans to or from facilities of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 1, 2023

  Mr. Lawler introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the payments or 
allowances that individuals, including veterans service organizations, 
  receive for transportation of veterans to or from facilities of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Heroes Earned Affordable Lifts Act'' 
or the ``HEAL Act''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF PAYMENTS OR ALLOWANCES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF 
              VETERANS TO OR FROM DEPARTMENT FACILITIES.

    (a) Milage Reimbursement Rate.--Section 111 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``at a rate of 41.5 
        cents per mile'' and inserting ``at the rate prescribed under 
        subsection (g)'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``Except as provided 
        in subsection (c) of this section and notwithstanding 
        subsection (g)(2) of this section or'' and inserting 
        ``Notwithstanding''; and
            (3) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
    ``(g) The Secretary shall set the mileage rate under subsection (a) 
to be equal to the rate for a privately owned automobile when no 
Government vehicle is available, as prescribed by the Administrator of 
General Services under section 5707(b) of title 5.''.
    (b) Prohibition on Certain Deductible Payments.--Section 111(c) of 
such title is amended to read as follows:
    ``(c) The Secretary may not require a deductible for travel for 
examination, treatment, or care under this section.''.
    (c) Veterans Service Organizations.--
            (1) Section 111(e)(2)(B) of such title is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``subparagraph is'' and all that 
                follows and inserting ``subparagraph is--''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new clauses:
            ``(i) a provider of personal care services for such veteran 
        who is approved under paragraph (6) of section 1720G(a) of this 
        title or designated under paragraph (7) of such section 
        1720G(a);
            ``(ii) a veterans service organization that provides 
        transportation for such veteran under section 111A of this 
        title; or
            ``(iii) a veterans service agency of a local government, 
        including an employee or a volunteer of such agency, that 
        provides transportation for such veteran.''.
            (2) Section 111A(b) of such title is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``veterans' service'' and inserting 
                ``veterans service''; and
                    (B) by striking ``, without reimbursement from the 
                Department,'' and inserting ``(reimbursable by the 
                Department only to the extent allowable under section 
                111 of this title)''.
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