Title: CARS for Vets Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Care Access Resources for Veterans Act or the CARS for Vets Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide (or assist in providing) an eligible veteran or service member with an additional automobile or other conveyance under the VA automobile allowance and adaptive equipment program. Currently, a veteran or service member with a specified service-connected disability or impairment may not receive more than one automobile or other conveyance under the program.
The bill authorizes the additional benefit for such veterans and service members if 10 years have passed since the person last received such benefit.
The bill also includes certain vehicle modifications (e.g., van lifts) under the definition of medical services for VA health care purposes.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3304 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3304

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to provide or assist in providing an additional 
   vehicle adapted for operation by disabled individuals to certain 
               eligible persons, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 18, 2021

  Mrs. Fletcher (for herself and Mr. Takano) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
   Veterans Affairs to provide or assist in providing an additional 
   vehicle adapted for operation by disabled individuals to certain 
               eligible persons, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Care Access Resources for Veterans 
Act'' or the ``CARS for Vets Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE OR 
              ASSIST IN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR 
              OPERATION BY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS TO CERTAIN ELIGIBLE 
              PERSONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3903(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and 
        inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(3) The Secretary may provide or assist in providing an eligible 
person with an additional automobile or other conveyance under this 
chapter if 10 years have elapsed since the date on which the eligible 
person received the immediately previous such automobile, other 
conveyance, or assistance under this chapter.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of section 
3903 of title 38, United States Code, shall apply with respect to the 
provision of an additional automobile or other conveyance that occurs 
on or after October 1, 2020.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEHICLE 
              MODIFICATIONS AS MEDICAL SERVICES.

    Section 1701(6) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(I) The provision of medically necessary van 
                lifts, raised doors, raised roofs, air-conditioning, 
                and wheelchair tiedowns for passenger use.''.
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