I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3350 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the waiver period with 
respect to a deductible made by a veteran for certain travel costs nec-
essary to receive treatment at facilities of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 3, 2011 
Mr. GRIFFIN of Arkansas introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the waiver 
period with respect to a deductible made by a veteran 
for certain travel costs necessary to receive treatment 
at facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Travel Bene-
fits Modernization Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. WAIVER PERIOD FOR DEDUCTIBLE REQUIRED BY 
VETERANS TO RECEIVE CERTAIN TRAVEL 
COSTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 111(c)(4) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4)(A) The Secretary may waive the deduction re-
quirement of paragraph (1) in the case of the travel of 
any veteran for whom the imposition of the deduction 
would cause severe financial hardship. Except as provided 
by subparagraph (C), any waiver granted under this sub-
paragraph shall be valid until the date that is the earlier 
of— 
‘‘(i) the date that is one year after the date on 
which the waiver is granted; or 
‘‘(ii) the date on which the Secretary deter-
mines that the deduction would no longer cause the 
veteran severe financial hardship. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall prescribe in regulations the 
conditions under which a finding of severe financial hard-
ship is warranted for purposes of this paragraph. 
‘‘(C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), any waiver 
granted under this paragraph to a veteran between the 
period beginning on January 1, 2011, and ending on June 
1, 2012, shall be deemed to be valid until the date that 
is the earlier of— 
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‘‘(i) the birthday of the veteran occurring after 
June 1, 2012; or 
‘‘(ii) the date on which the Secretary deter-
mines that the deduction would no longer cause the 
veteran severe financial hardship.’’. 
(b) CLARIFICATION IN VETERANS HEALTH ADMINIS-
TRATION HANDBOOK.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall revise the Veterans Health Administra-
tion Handbook to clarify the waiver period of waivers 
granted under section 111(c)(4) of title 38, United States 
Code, as amended by subsection (a). 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to waivers granted 
under section 111(c)(4) of title 38, United States Code, 
on or after the date that is 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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