116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 850 

AN ACT 

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, 
2 

†S 850 ES

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 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 111A(a) of title 38, 

17 United States Code, is amended— 

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

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

20 (b) REPORT REQUIRED.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than five years 

22 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec23 retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress 

24 a report on cost savings, performance, and satisfac25 tion of individuals, with respect to— 
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1 (A) the transport by the Secretary of indi2 viduals under subsection (a) of section 111A of 

3 title 38, United States Code; and 

4 (B) the program the establishment of 

5 which was facilitated under subsection (b) of 

6 such section. 

7 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para8 graph (1) shall include an assessment of the effect 

9 of emerging health care modalities, including tele10 health and VA Video Connect, on— 

11 (A) the transport of individuals described 

12 in paragraph (1)(A); 

13 (B) the satisfaction of such individuals 

14 with services described in section 111A(a) of 

15 title 38, United States Code; and 

16 (C) the program described in paragraph 

17 (1)(B). 

18 (3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

19 (A) TELEHEALTH.— 

20 (i) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘tele21 health’’ means the use of electronic infor22 mation and telecommunications tech23 nologies to support and promote long-dis24 tance clinical health care, patient and pro-
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1 fessional health-related education, public 

2 health, and health administration. 

3 (ii) TECHNOLOGIES.—For purposes of 

4 clause (i), telecommunications technologies 

5 include videoconferencing, the internet, 

6 streaming media, and terrestrial and wire7 less communications. 

8 (B) VA VIDEO CONNECT.—The term ‘‘VA 

9 Video Connect’’ means the program of the De10 partment of Veterans Affairs to connect vet11 erans with their health care team from any12 where, using encryption to ensure a secure and 

13 private session. 

14 (c) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 111A(b) of 

15 title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘vet16 erans’ service organizations’’ and inserting ‘‘veterans serv17 ice organizations’’. 

18 SEC. 4. MEDICAL EXAMINATION PROTOCOL FOR VOLUN19 TEER DRIVERS PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAM 

20 OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR VET21 ERANS. 

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

23 amended— 

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

25 and 
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1 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

2 paragraph: 

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

4 enactment of the Highly Rural Veteran Transportation 

5 Program Extension Act, the Secretary shall develop and 

6 establish a national protocol for the administration of 

7 medical examinations for volunteer drivers to participate 

8 in the program described in paragraph (1). 

9 ‘‘(B) In developing the protocol required by subpara10 graph (A), the Secretary shall consult with such persons 

11 as the Secretary determines have an interest in the pro12 gram described in paragraph (1). 

13 ‘‘(C)(i) The Secretary shall implement the protocol 

14 by first conducting a one-year pilot program using the pro15 tocol. 

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

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

18 make such changes to the protocol as the Secretary con19 siders appropriate. 

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

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

22 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 Comp6 troller General of the United States shall submit to the 

7 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 

8 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep9 resentatives a report on the program the establishment of 

10 which was facilitated under section 111A(b) of title 38, 

11 United States Code. 

12 (b) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under sub13 section (a) shall include the following: 

14 (1) A description of the program described in 

15 subsection (a), including descriptions of the fol16 lowing: 

17 (A) The purpose of the program. 

18 (B) The activities carried out under the 

19 program. 

20 (2) An assessment of the sufficiency of the pro21 gram with respect to the purpose of the program. 

22 (3) An assessment of the cost effectiveness of 

23 the program in relation to alternatives. 

24 (4) An assessment of the health benefits for 

25 veterans who have participated in the program. 
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1 (5) An assessment of the sufficiency of staffing 

2 of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

3 who are responsible for facilitating the maintenance 

4 of the program. 

5 (6) An assessment, with respect to the purpose 

6 of the program, of the number of vehicles owned by 

7 and operating in conjunction with the program. 

8 (7) An assessment of the awareness and usage 

9 of the program by veterans and their families. 

10 (8) An assessment of other options for trans11 portation under the program, such as local taxi com12 panies and ridesharing programs such as Uber and 

13 Lyft. 

Passed the Senate July 30, 2020. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 850 

AN ACT 

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