Federal

DRIVE Act

Source: Congress.gov · 339 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill changes how much money the Department of Veterans Affairs pays veterans and other beneficiaries (people eligible to receive benefits) for travel to medical appointments and other authorized trips. The bill requires the payment rate to match what the federal government pays its own employees for using personal vehicles for work.

Who It Affects

- Veterans and beneficiaries who receive travel reimbursement from the Department of Veterans Affairs - The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (the head of the agency) - The Administrator of General Services (the federal official who sets government vehicle reimbursement rates)

Key Provisions

- The Secretary must ensure the mileage rate (payment per mile driven) is equal to or greater than what the federal government pays its own employees for using personal vehicles on official business when no government vehicle is available (Sec. 2(a)) - The bill removes a specific payment rate of 41.5 cents per mile and replaces it with a rate determined by the new rule in subsection (g) (Sec. 2(b)) - The bill removes language that previously limited how the payment rules applied (Sec. 2(b))

What Changes

The Department of Veterans Affairs will no longer use a fixed 41.5 cents per mile rate. Instead, it will automatically match whatever reimbursement rate the General Services Administration sets for federal employees using personal vehicles.

Important Definitions

None defined in bill text.

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1278 To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the rate of payments provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for beneficiary travel. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 1, 2023 Ms. BROWNLEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the rate of payments provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for beneficiary travel. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Driver Reimbursement 4 Increase for Veteran Equity Act’’ or the ‘‘DRIVE Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:00 Mar 17, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1278.IH H1278 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1278 IH SEC. 2. PAYMENTS OR ALLOWANCES BY DEPARTMENT OF 1 VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR BENEFICIARY TRAV- 2 EL. 3 (a) MINIMUM PAYMENT AMOUNT.—Subsection (g) of 4 section 111 of title 38, United States Code, is amended 5 to read as follows: 6 ‘‘(g) The Secretary shall ensure that the mileage rate 7 described in subsection (a) is equal to or greater than the 8 mileage reimbursement rate for the use of privately owned 9 vehicles by Government employees on official business 10 (when no Government vehicle is available), as prescribed 11 by the Administrator of General Services under section 12 5707(b) of title 5.’’. 13 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is 14 further amended— 15 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘(at a rate of 16 41.5 cents per mile)’’ and inserting ‘‘(at a rate de- 17 termined in accordance with subsection (g))’’; and 18 (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘and not- 19 withstanding subsection (g)(2) of this section’’. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:00 Mar 17, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1278.IH H1278 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.