An Act to amend chapter 39 of title 38,United States Code, to increase the amount allowed for the purchase of specially equipped automobiles for disabled veterans, and to extend benefits under such chapter to certain persons on active duty
PL 91-666 (H.R.370), enacted 01/11/1971

1998 
80 Stat. 416. 
S u s e 5332 
note. 
PUBLIC LAW 91-666-JAN. 11, 1971 
[84 STAT. 
authorized by title 5, United States Code, section 3109, but at rates 
for individuals not to exceed the per diem equivalent of the rate for 
grade GS-18; and other personal services without regard to the pro-
visions of law regulating the employment and compensation of persons 
in the Government service, $960,000. 
O F F I C E OF MANAGEMENT AND 
BUDGET 
SALARIES AND EXPENSES 
For an additional amount for "Salaries and expenses*', Office of 
Management and Budget, $900,000. 
CHAPTER X I I I 
CLAIMS AND JUDGMENTS 
For payment of claims settled and determined by departments and 
agencies in accord with law and judgments rendered against the 
United States by the United States Court of Claims and United States 
district courts, as set forth in Senate Document Numbered 91-117 and 
House Document Numbered 91-420, Ninety-first Congress, $43,130,510, 
together with such amounts as may be necessary to pay interest (as 
and when specified in such judgments or provided by law) and such 
additional sums due to increases in rates of exchange as may be neces-
sary to pay claims in foreign currency: Provided^ That no judgment 
herein appropriated for shall be paid until it shall become final and 
conclusive against the United States by failure of the parties to appeal 
or otherwise: Provided 
further^ That unless otherwise specifically 
re(juired by law or by judgment, payment of interest wherever appro-
priated for herein shall not continue for more than thirty days after 
the date of the approval of the act. 
CHAPTER XIV 
GENERAL PROVISION 
SEC. 1401. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall 
remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless 
expressly so provided herein. 
Approved January 8, 1971. 
January 11, 1971 
[H.R. 370] 
Disabled 
Veterans' and 
Servicemen's 
Automobile 
Assistance 
Act of 1970. 
72 Stat. 1215; 
81 Stat. 184. 
38 u s e 1901. 
Public Law 91-666 
AN ACT 
To amend chapter 39 of title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount 
allowed for the purchase of specially equipped automobiles for disabled 
veterans, to extend benefits under such chapter to certain persons on active 
duty, and to provide for provision and replacement of adaptive equipment and 
continuing repair, maintenance, and installation thereof. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assennhled^ That this Act may 
be cited as the "Disabled Veterans' and Servicemen's Automobile 
Assistance Act of 1970". 
SEC. 2. (a) Chapter 39 of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
to read as follows: 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-666-JAN. 11, 1971 
1999 
"Chapter 39.—AUTOMOBILES AND ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT 
FOR CERTAIN DISABLED VETERANS AND MEMBERS 
OF THE ARMED FORCES 
"Sec. 
"1901. Definitions. 
"1902. Assistance for providing automobile and adaptive equipment. 
"1903. Limitations on assistance. 
"§ 1901. Definitions 
"For purposes of this chapter— 
"(1) The term 'eligible person' means— 
" (A) any veteran entitled to compensation under chapter 11 of 
this title for any of the disabilities described in subclause (i), (ii), 
or (iii) below, if the disability is the result of an injury incurred 
or disease contracted in or aggravated by active military, naval, or 
air service during World War I I or the Korean conflict; or if the 
disability is the result of an injury incurred or disease contracted 
in or aggravated by active military, naval, or air service per-
formed after January 31,1955, and the injury was incurred or the 
disease was contracted in line of duty as a direct result of the 
performance of military duty: 
"(i) The loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet; 
"(ii) The loss or permanent loss of use of one or both 
hands; 
" (iii) The permanent impairment of vision of both eyes of 
the follow^ing status: central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in 
the better eye, with corrective glasses, or central visual acuity 
of more than 20/200 if there is a field defect in which the 
peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the 
widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance 
no greater than tw^enty degrees in the better eye; or 
"(B) any member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty 
who is suffering from any disability described in subclause (i), 
(ii), or (iii) of clause (A) of this paragraph if such disability 
is the result of an injury incurred or disease contracted in or 
aggravated by active military, naval, or air service during World 
War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era; or if such dis-
ability is the result of an injury incurred or disease contracted 
in or aggravated by any other active military, naval, or air service 
performed after January 31,1955, and the injury was incurred or 
the disease was contracted in line of duty as a direct result of 
the performance of military duty. 
"(2) The term 'World War II' includes, in the case of any eligible 
person, any period of continuous service performed by him after 
December 31, 1946, and before July 26, 1947, if such period began 
before January 1, 1947. 
'*§ 1902. Assistance for providing automobile and adaptive equip-
ment 
"(a) The Administrator, under regulations which he shall prescribe, 
shall provide or assist in providing an automobile or other conveyance 
to each eligible person by paying the total purchase price of the auto-
2000 
PUBLIC LAW 91^66-JAN. 11, 1971 
[84 STAT. 
mobile or other conveyance or $2,800, whichever is the lesser, to the 
seller from whom the eligible person is purchasing under a sales 
agreement between the seller and the eligible person. 
"(b) The Administrator, under regulations which he shall prescribe, 
shall provide each eligible person the adaptive equipment deemed 
necessary to insure that the eligible person will be able to operate 
the automobile or other conveyance in a manner consistent with his 
own safety and the safety of others and so as to satisfy the applicable 
standards of licensure established by the State of his residency or other 
proper licensing authority. 
"(c) In accordance with regulations which he sihall prescribe, the 
Administrator shall (1) repair, replace, or reinstall adaptive equip-
ment deemed necessary for the operation of an automobile or other 
conveyance acquired in accordance with the pi'ovisions of this chapter, 
and (2) provide, repair, replace, or reinstall such adaptive equipment 
for any automobile or other conveyance which an eligible person 
may subsequently have acquired. 
"(d) If an eligible person cannot qualify to operate an automobile 
or other conveyance, the Administrator shall provide or assist in pro-
viding an automobile or other conveyance to such person, as provided 
in subsection (a) of this section, if the automobile or other conveyance 
is to be operated for the eligible person by another person. 
''§ 1903. Limitations on assistance 
"(a) No eligible person shall be entitled to receive more than one 
automobile or other conveyance under the provisions of this chapter, 
and no payment shall be made under this chapter- for the repair, main-
tenance, or replacement of an automobile or other conveyance. 
"(b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of section 1902 of this 
title, no eligible person shall be provided an automobile or other con-
veyance under this chapter until it is established to the satisfaction of 
the Administrator, in accordance with regulations he shall prescribe, 
that the eligible person will be able to operate the automobile or other 
conveyance in a manner consistent with his own safety and the safety 
of others and will satisfy the applicable standards of licensure to 
operate the automobile or other conveyance established by the State 
of his residency or other proper licensing authority. 
"(c) An eligible person shall not be entitled to adaptive equipment 
under this chapter for more than one automobile or other conveyance 
at any one time. 
"(d) Adaptive equipment shall not be provided under this chapter 
unless it conforms to minimum standards of safety and quality pre-
scribed by the Administrator." 
(b) The analysis of title 38, United States C5ode, and the analysis 
of part I I I thereof, are each amended by striking out 
"39. Automobiles for Disabled Veterans 
1901" 
and inserting in lieu thereof: 
"39. Automobiles and Adaptive Equipment for C5ertain Disabled "Veterans 
and Members of the Armed Forces 
1901". 
Approved January 11, 1971.