I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 577 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use existing authorities 
to furnish health care at non-Department of Veterans Affairs facilities 
to veterans who live more than 40 miles driving distance from the 
closest medical facility of the Department that furnishes the care sought 
by the veteran. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 27, 2015 
Mr. ZINKE (for himself, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. SCHOCK, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. 
ROKITA, Mr. LABRADOR, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. GIBSON, Mr. 
KILMER, Mr. YOHO, Mr. BARR, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. GRIFFITH, Mr. 
DEFAZIO, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. LONG, Mr. GUINTA, Mr. PALAZZO, and 
Mr. GROTHMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use existing 
authorities to furnish health care at non-Department of 
Veterans Affairs facilities to veterans who live more than 
40 miles driving distance from the closest medical facility 
of the Department that furnishes the care sought by 
the veteran. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. USE OF EXISTING DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS AUTHORITIES TO FURNISH HEALTH 
CARE TO CERTAIN VETERANS WHO HAVE GE-
OGRAPHIC INACCESSIBILITY TO CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall use the authorities specified in subsection (b) to fur-
nish hospital care and medical services at non-Department 
of Veterans Affairs facilities to veterans who reside more 
than 40 miles driving distance from the closest medical 
facility of the Department to the residence of the veteran 
that furnishes the hospital care or medical services that 
are sought by the veteran, including a community-based 
outpatient clinic. 
(b) AUTHORITIES.—The authorities specified in this 
subsection are the following: 
(1) Section 1703 of title 38, United States 
Code, relating to contracts for the furnishing of hos-
pital care and medical services through non-Depart-
ment facilities. 
(2) Section 101 of the Veterans Access, Choice, 
and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113– 
146; 128 Stat. 175), relating to the furnishing of 
hospital care and medical services to veterans 
through non-Department entities if the veteran is 
unable to schedule an appointment for the receipt of 
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such care or services within the wait-time goals of 
the Veterans Health Administration. 
(3) Any other authority under the laws admin-
istered by the Secretary relating to the furnishing of 
hospital care and medical services at non-Depart-
ment facilities. 
(c) HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES.—In 
this section, the terms ‘‘hospital care’’ and ‘‘medical serv-
ices’’ have the meanings given such terms in section 1701 
of title 38, United States Code. 
Æ 
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