[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10343-10344]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           EMERGENCY ENERGY ASSISTANCE FOR DISABLED VETERANS

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, recently I joined my colleague, Senator 
Nelson of Nebraska, in introducing the Emergency Energy Assistance for 
Disabled Veterans Act. I am supporting this bill because I am concerned 
about inadequate reimbursement rates offered to veterans who must 
travel to VA facilities for treatment. The VA beneficiary travel 
program reimburses veterans 11 cents for every mile they are required 
to drive in order to visit a VA doctor. This reimbursement often is not 
enough to cover the cost of the

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trip, especially given high gas prices and the lengthy distances some 
veterans must travel.
  The State of South Dakota is home to almost 77,000 veterans--
approximately 10 percent of the State's population. Today gasoline 
averages $2.97 per gallon. In rural States such as South Dakota, many 
veterans must travel more than 120 miles each way in order to reach a 
veterans hospital. South Dakotans living in Selby and Gettysburg must 
travel as much as 170 miles. With the price of gas rising, the fixed 
mileage reimbursement leaves these veterans behind.
  Oil companies are reaping substantial profits without reinvesting 
these profits in the infrastructure that helps keep gasoline markets 
operating smoothly. I am deeply concerned that these companies are 
being paid billions in profits while at the same time receiving tax 
cuts and incentives. On the opposite end of the spectrum, veterans are 
forced to make tough choices in order to afford driving to the VA for 
treatment. The men and women who defended our Nation should not have to 
choose between buying groceries and visiting a doctor at the VA.
  For over 30 years, mileage reimbursement rates for veterans have 
remained stagnant, whereas Federal employees received an 8-cent 
increase for a similar travel program in September 2005. Currently, 
Federal employees are reimbursed 44.5 cents per mile when using a 
private vehicle for official Government business. We owe our Nation's 
veterans the same benefit.
  President Bush has consistently supported VA budgets that short 
change veterans health care by billions of dollars. Unfortunately, 
under current law, money to reimburse veterans for travel is allocated 
from the same accounts used to provide medical care. This bill changes 
the funding formula and would mandate a separate allowance to reimburse 
travel costs. This will reduce the competition between programs that 
are equally meritorious and necessary but are forced to compete for the 
same pot of funds.
  Mr. President, I encourage my colleagues to support the Emergency 
Energy Assistance for Disabled Veterans Act. It is time we rectified 
this glaring injustice and provide our veterans with the support they 
deserve.

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