[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 84 (Monday, May 19, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2132-H2133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTOMOTIVE SUPPORT SERVICES TO IMPROVE SAFE TRANSPORTATION ACT OF 2025
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 1364) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide
clarification regarding the inclusion of medically necessary automobile
adaptations in Department of Veterans Affairs definition of ``medical
services'', as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1364
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 ``Automotive Support Services
to Improve Safe Transportation Act of 2025'' or the ``ASSIST
Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION REGARDING INCLUSION OF MEDICALLY
NECESSARY AUTOMOBILE ADAPTATIONS IN DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS DEFINITION OF ``MEDICAL
SERVICES''.
Section 1701(6)(I) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
``(I) The provision of any medically necessary automobile
adaptations for driver or passenger use, including--
``(i) ramp and kneeling systems;
``(ii) raised doors or lowered floors;
``(iii) raised roofs;
``(iv) air conditioning;
``(v) occupied and unoccupied mobility lifts;
``(vi) ingress or egress accessibility modifications;
``(vii) wheelchair tiedowns; and
``(viii) adapted seating.''.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting
``September 30, 2032''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 1364, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1364, as amended. The
bill was introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Barrett), my
friend and a fellow veteran.
H.R. 1364, as amended, would allow eligible disabled veterans to
receive adaptive automobile equipment that they may need to safely
operate their vehicles. Right now, there are too many restrictions on
eligible items that veterans could use under this program.
Mr. Barrett's bill would close that loophole and give disabled
veterans the flexibility that they need to live independent lives.
Additionally, the bill would include adaptations for driver and
passenger use to get veterans where they need to be.
This Congress, the Trump administration has committed to making VA
work for veterans again. This bill would cut the bureaucracy nonsense
from the last administration and do just that.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the VFW, the WWP, and PVA for supporting this
bill. I also thank Representative Barrett for introducing this bill and
for his work on behalf of disabled veterans across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1364, as amended,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1364, the Automotive Support
Services to Improve Safe Transportation Act, or ASSIST Act, of 2025, as
amended.
For disabled veterans, attending a medical appointment is often not a
routine drive but, rather, can be a logistical and physical challenge.
That is why Representatives Levin and
[[Page H2133]]
Fletcher led the passage of the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement
Act of 2022 into law.
This law allowed veterans to upgrade their vehicles every 10 years
and authorized the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer mobility
improvements to vehicles for the purposes of attending medical
appointments. However, now that this landmark law has been implemented,
oversight has led to the identification of some gaps in the types of
mobility services currently authorized by law.
This is where the ASSIST Act comes in. This legislation, led by
Representative Barrett and co-led by Representatives Maggie Goodlander,
Susie Lee, Jason Crow, and Eugene Vindman, expands the types of
equipment and services that VA is authorized to provide.
These are benefits and services these veterans have earned, and it is
our duty in Congress to ensure veterans don't have to worry about how
they will access the care they have earned through their service to our
Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Barrett), the key sponsor of this bill.
{time} 1730
Mr. BARRETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member
for their support of my bill, H.R. 1364, the ASSIST Act.
During my 22 years in the United States Army, I was fortunate to
return home without the need for assistive devices. For too many who
serve or have served, that isn't the case. Too many are returning home
with wounds that can't be healed, leaving them permanently disabled and
in need of assistive technology.
Not only does a service-connected disability negatively impact a
veteran's quality of life but it can cause barriers as they attempt to
transition back to civilian life.
My bipartisan bill ensures that disabled veterans, with help from the
Department of Veterans Affairs, are empowered to make the vehicle
modifications they need to safely and efficiently travel. Right now,
the VA is restricted to funding only a limited number of adaptive
equipment devices such as wheelchair tie-downs, van lifts, and raised
roofs.
Unfortunately and unintentionally, this limits and in many cases
prevents altogether some veterans from being able to make necessary
modifications to their vehicles such as ramp and kneeling systems,
mobility device lifts, and ingress and egress accessibility
modifications.
The ASSIST Act fixes this gap in assistance and would make sure that
disabled veterans can continue traveling safely and freely when they
return home. Specifically, this will give the VA greater flexibility to
offer financial assistance for a wider range of medically necessary
vehicle adaptations.
This is a commonsense solution that removes bureaucratic red tape and
gives veterans the resources they deserve to live life fully after they
serve.
The bottom line is that our veterans put their bodies on the line for
the very freedoms that we cherish and often take for granted. In
return, they deserve to be taken care of when they take off the
uniform. By passing this bill today, we can ensure that no veteran is
denied essential mobility assistance because of an outdated government
list that leaves many things left off.
Mr. Speaker, I specifically thank my colleague, Congresswoman Maggie
Goodlander, for leading this effort with me. I look forward to working
with Senator Tuberville to get this to the Senate and onto the
President's desk for signature.
It is time to give America's heroes the resources they need to live
their lives to the fullest, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on
this bill.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
New Hampshire (Ms. Goodlander), my good friend and cosponsor of H.R.
1364.
She currently serves on the House Committee on Armed Services and the
Small Business Committee.
Ms. GOODLANDER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Takano and the
chairman for their work today on this bill and on the other bills that
I hope will soon pass the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a bipartisan bill that I am
very proud to be leading with my colleague and friend, Congressman
Barrett. It does two important things that I came to Congress to do.
Number one, it cuts some senseless red tape and updates outdated laws
so that our government can work better for hardworking people. It also
in equal measure delivers on what I believe is a sacred obligation that
we owe to the women and men who serve our country in uniform,
especially those who sustain life-changing injuries during their
service to our country.
Our bipartisan bill is called the ASSIST Act. It makes commonsense
changes. It is going to really cut red tape that is limiting and, as
Congressman Barrett said, preventing far too many disabled veterans in
our country from accessing the medically necessary and basic equipment
that they need to travel safely and freely.
The freedom to travel is just one of the many basic freedoms that our
veterans fought for while they served our country in uniform. We can
and must do better.
My home State of New Hampshire is home to tens of thousands of
veterans who live with service-connected disabilities, including a man
I am very proud to represent, Gary Gordan, from Concord, New Hampshire.
He is a Vietnam veteran and a fellow Navy veteran who today relies on a
power chair to live his life.
Gary Gordon has truly dedicated his life to our country in uniform as
an EMT, and as a mental health worker at our State hospital for more
than two decades. He reached out to our office for help with navigating
the process of getting the basic adaptive equipment that he needs to
live his life and to get his power chair into his car. It is a brand
new power chair.
Under current law, the VA is limited to providing the basic type of
equipment that Gary Gordon needs to get his power chair into his
vehicle. This is a problem that this Congress can and must solve, and
we can do that by passing the ASSIST Act.
It really is a commonsense, straightforward bill that is going to
make it easier and possible for the VA to cover the basic equipment
that our veterans need to live their lives. It is going to help us meet
the moment and provide the best possible care that our veterans
deserve.
As we approach Memorial Day, I encourage my colleagues on both sides
of the aisle to come together and to support this commonsense,
bipartisan legislation that is really going to change the lives of
veterans all across our country.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 1364, the ASSIST Act of 2025,
as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1364, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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