[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8180-H8181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                              {time}  1945
    ADVANCING UNIFORM TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS ACT

  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3304) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide or assist in providing an 
additional vehicle adapted for operation by disabled individuals to 
certain eligible persons, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3304

       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 ``Advancing Uniform 
     Transportation Opportunities for Veterans Act'' or the ``AUTO 
     for Veterans Act''.

     SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                   PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL AUTOMOBILE OR OTHER 
                   ADAPTED EQUIPMENT.

       Section 3903(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and 
     inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) The Secretary may provide or assist in providing an 
     eligible person with an additional automobile or other 
     conveyance under this chapter--
       ``(A) if more than 25 years have elapsed since the eligible 
     person most recently received an automobile or other 
     conveyance under this chapter; or
       ``(B) beginning on the day that is 10 years after date of 
     the enactment of the AUTO for Veterans Act, if more than 10 
     years have elapsed since the eligible person most recently 
     received an automobile or other conveyance under this 
     chapter.''.

     SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TREATMENT OF CERTAIN 
                   VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS AS MEDICAL SERVICES.

       Section 1701(6) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
     by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(I) The provision of medically necessary van lifts, 
     raised doors, raised roofs, air-conditioning, and wheelchair 
     tiedowns for passenger use.''.

     SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN HOUSING LOAN FEE.

       (a) Extension.--The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of 
     title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 
     ``January 14, 2031'' each place it appears and inserting 
     ``May 16, 2031''.

     SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3304, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3304, as amended, the AUTO 
for Veterans Act.
  I was proud to join Representative Lizzie Fletcher in introducing 
H.R. 3304, and I thank her for her tireless work with the veteran 
community, which has led to this bill being considered on the floor 
today.
  Currently, disabled veterans are only allowed a single grant to 
modify a vehicle to provide them mobility. This means there are cars 
that are 25, 30, or even 40 years old on the road because the veteran 
has no other option.
  When you consider that the average life of an automobile is less than 
12 years, we are asking veterans to incur additional costs and risks by 
driving excessively old cars for decades.
  The AUTO for Veterans Act finally expands eligibility for disabled 
veterans to obtain vehicles modified for their disabilities more than 
once in their lifetime.
  Upon passage into law, H.R. 3304 would immediately allow veterans who 
have waited decades to acquire a new vehicle and, after giving those 
veterans priority, would eventually expand the benefit to cover those 
veterans who updated their vehicle 10 years ago.
  This legislation also expands the definition of ``medical services'' 
to include certain vehicle modifications so that veterans can attend 
medical appointments.
  This legislation has long been a priority for veterans and is 
supported by DAV, VFW, PVA, and countless other veterans organizations.
  This legislation is fully paid for and delivers for disabled veterans 
who gave us so much.
  I thank the ranking member for his support of this legislation. I 
know we have both wanted to fix this longstanding problem.
  Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this bill, and I urge my 
colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the AUTO for Veterans Act, 
as amended.
  This bill would help severely disabled service-connected veterans 
purchase and adapt a vehicle 10 years after they purchased their first 
one. Current law only provides veterans with the funds for one vehicle 
during their lifetime. We all know that the life of a car is not 
infinite. Maybe my father didn't, but most people do.
  For too long, disabled veterans have had to drive vehicles that have 
logged hundreds of thousands of miles. This bill would help a deserving 
population with the safe and reliable transportation they need. I am 
also pleased that this bill is fully offset.
  The underlying bill is very similar to H.R. 1361, the AUTO for 
Veterans Act, which was introduced this Congress and last by our 
colleague, Congressman Meuser. While I would have preferred that we 
consider his version today, this bill will help many disabled veterans, 
and it has my full support.
  I thank the PVA and the DAV for their continued advocacy for this 
proposal.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).
  Mr. MEUSER. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Bost for his 
leadership on this important bill.
  I rise in support of the AUTO for Veterans Act. This legislation 
would expand, as stated, access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' 
automobile grant, which assists severely disabled veterans.
  Veterans, especially those in rural communities, Madam Speaker, face 
transportation challenges, as we all know, that affect their quality of 
life and independence. Expanding the VA auto grant program is a 
commonsense step toward improving this program for men and women who 
made tremendous sacrifices serving our country.
  Improving access to safe and reliable transportation for disabled 
veterans will ensure they can maintain their independence and lead 
fulfilling, healthy lives.
  I introduced the AUTO for Veterans Act, a bill nearly identical to 
this legislation, in the last Congress, and it did receive support from 
numerous veterans service organizations and garnered over 70 
cosponsors, including Democrats and Republicans. I am glad that my 
Democrat colleagues were able to see the merit of this legislation, and 
I do look forward to the Senate taking action on this legislation and 
providing much-needed support and independence for our wounded 
veterans.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 3304, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr.

[[Page H8181]]

Takano) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3304, 
as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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