II 

Calendar No. 413 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 850 

To extend the authorization of appropriations to the Department of Veterans 

Affairs for purposes of awarding grants to veterans service organizations 

for the transportation of highly rural veterans. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 14, 2019 

Mr. SULLIVAN (for himself, Ms. MURKOWSKI, and Ms. SINEMA) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

FEBRUARY 5, 2020 

Reported by Mr. MORAN, with an amendment 

[Insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To extend the authorization of appropriations to the Department of Veterans Affairs for purposes of awarding grants 

to veterans service organizations for the transportation 

of highly rural veterans. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Highly Rural Veteran 

3 Transportation Program Extension Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO 

5 VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR 

6 TRANSPORTATION OF HIGHLY RURAL VET7 ERANS. 

8 Section 307(d) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omni9 bus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163; 

10 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by striking ‘‘2020’’ and 

11 inserting ‘‘2021’’. 

12 SEC. 3. MAKING PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY 

13 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO TRANSPORT INDI14 VIDUALS TO AND FROM FACILITIES OF DE15 PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

16 Section 111A(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 

17 amended— 

18 (1) by striking paragraph (2); and 

19 (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘(1)’’. 

20 SEC. 4. MEDICAL EXAMINATION PROTOCOL FOR VOLUN21 TEER DRIVERS PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAM 

22 OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR VET23 ERANS. 

24 Section 111A(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 

25 amended— 


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1 (1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; 

2 and 

3 (2) by adding at the end the following new para4 graph: 

5 ‘‘(2)(A) Not later than 90 days after the date of the 

6 enactment of the Highly Rural Veteran Transportation 

7 Program Extension Act, the Secretary shall develop and es8 tablish a national protocol for the administration of med9 ical examinations for volunteer drivers to participate in the 

10 program described in paragraph (1). 

11 ‘‘(B) In developing the protocol required by subpara12 graph (A), the Secretary shall consult with such persons as 

13 the Secretary determines have an interest in the program 

14 described in paragraph (1). 

15 ‘‘(C)(i) The Secretary shall implement the protocol by 

16 first conducting a one-year pilot program using the pro17 tocol. 

18 ‘‘(ii) After conducting the pilot program required by 

19 clause (i), the Secretary shall assess the pilot program and 

20 make such changes to the protocol as the Secretary considers 

21 appropriate. 

22 ‘‘(iii) After making changes to the protocol under 

23 clause (ii), the Secretary shall implement the protocol in 

24 phases during the course of one year.’’. 


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1 SEC. 5. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES 

2 REPORT ON TRANSPORTATION SERVICES 

3 FOR VETERANS. 

4 (a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than one year 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 

6 General of the United States shall submit to the Committee 

7 on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

8 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 

9 on the program the establishment of which was facilitated 

10 under section 111A(b) of title 38, United States Code. 

11 (b) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under sub12 section (a) shall include the following: 

13 (1) A description of the program described in 

14 subsection (a), including descriptions of the following: 

15 (A) The purpose of the program. 

16 (B) The activities carried out under the 

17 program. 

18 (2) An assessment of the sufficiency of the pro19 gram with respect to the purpose of the program. 

20 (3) An assessment of the cost effectiveness of the 

21 program in relation to alternatives. 

22 (4) An assessment of the health benefits for vet23 erans who have participated in the program. 

24 (5) An assessment of the sufficiency of staffing of 

25 employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs who 


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1 are responsible for facilitating the maintenance of the 

2 program. 

3 (6) An assessment, with respect to the purpose of 

4 the program, of the number of vehicles owned by and 

5 operating in conjunction with the program. 

6 (7) An assessment of the awareness and usage of 

7 the program by veterans and their families. 

8 (8) An assessment of other options for transpor9 tation under the program, such as local taxi compa10 nies and ridesharing programs such as Uber and 

11 Lyft. 


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Calendar No. 413 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 850 

A BILL 

To extend the authorization of appropriations to 

erans. tions for the transportation of highly rural vetof awarding grants to veterans service organizathe Department of Veterans Affairs for purposes 

FEBRUARY 5, 2020 

Reported with an amendment 


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