A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for coverage under the beneficiary travel program of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain disabled veterans for travel in connection with certain special disabilities rehabilitation, and for other purposes.

Bill: 114-s-171
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2015-01-13
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Disability and paralysis

Hearing, speech, and vision care

Neurological disorders

Transportation costs

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2015-01-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-01-13
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Authorizes payment under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiary travel program of travel expenses in connection with the medical examination, treatment, or care of a veteran with vision impairment, a spinal cord injury or disorder, or double or multiple amputations whose travel is in connection with care provided through a VA special disabilities rehabilitation program, if such care is provided: (1) on an inpatient basis, or (2) while a veteran is provided temporary lodging at a VA facility in order to make such care more accessible.</p> <p>Requires a report from the Secretary to the congressional veterans committees on the travel program.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 171 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 13, 2015 Mr. Tester introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for coverage under the beneficiary travel program of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain disabled veterans for travel in connection with certain special disabilities rehabilitation, and for other purposes.

1. Coverage under Department of Veterans Affairs beneficiary travel program of travel in connection with certain special disabilities rehabilitation (a) In general Section 111(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (G) A veteran with vision impairment, a veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder, or a veteran with double or multiple amputations whose travel is in connection with care provided through a special disabilities rehabilitation program of the Department (including programs provided by spinal cord injury centers, blind rehabilitation centers, and prosthetics rehabilitation centers) if such care is provided— (i) on an in-patient basis; or (ii) during a period in which the Secretary provides the veteran with temporary lodging at a facility of the Department to make such care more accessible to the veteran. . (b) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the beneficiary travel program under section 111 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), that includes the following: (1) The cost of the program. (2) The number of veterans served by the program. (3) Such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate. (c) Effective date The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the first day of the first fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act.