Federal
Highly Rural Veteran Transportation Program Extension Act
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116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 850
AN ACT
To extend the authorization of appropriations to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs for purposes of awarding grants
to veterans service organizations for the transportation
of highly rural veterans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
2
† S 850 ES
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Highly Rural Veteran
2
Transportation Program Extension Act’’.
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SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS TO
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VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR
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TRANSPORTATION OF HIGHLY RURAL VET-
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ERANS.
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Section 307(d) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omni-
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bus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–163;
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38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by striking ‘‘2020’’ and
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inserting ‘‘2021’’.
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SEC. 3. MAKING PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY
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OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO TRANSPORT INDI-
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VIDUALS TO AND FROM FACILITIES OF DE-
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PARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 111A(a) of title 38,
16
United States Code, is amended—
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(1) by striking paragraph (2); and
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(2) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘(1)’’.
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(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than five years
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after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
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retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress
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a report on cost savings, performance, and satisfac-
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tion of individuals, with respect to—
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3
† S 850 ES
(A) the transport by the Secretary of indi-
1
viduals under subsection (a) of section 111A of
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title 38, United States Code; and
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(B) the program the establishment of
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which was facilitated under subsection (b) of
5
such section.
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(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
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graph (1) shall include an assessment of the effect
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of emerging health care modalities, including tele-
9
health and VA Video Connect, on—
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(A) the transport of individuals described
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in paragraph (1)(A);
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(B) the satisfaction of such individuals
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with services described in section 111A(a) of
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title 38, United States Code; and
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(C) the program described in paragraph
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(1)(B).
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(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection:
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(A) TELEHEALTH.—
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(i) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘tele-
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health’’ means the use of electronic infor-
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mation
and
telecommunications
tech-
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nologies to support and promote long-dis-
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tance clinical health care, patient and pro-
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4
† S 850 ES
fessional health-related education, public
1
health, and health administration.
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(ii) TECHNOLOGIES.—For purposes of
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clause (i), telecommunications technologies
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include videoconferencing, the internet,
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streaming media, and terrestrial and wire-
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less communications.
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(B) VA VIDEO CONNECT.—The term ‘‘VA
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Video Connect’’ means the program of the De-
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partment of Veterans Affairs to connect vet-
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erans with their health care team from any-
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where, using encryption to ensure a secure and
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private session.
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(c) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 111A(b) of
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title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘vet-
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erans’ service organizations’’ and inserting ‘‘veterans serv-
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ice organizations’’.
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SEC. 4. MEDICAL EXAMINATION PROTOCOL FOR VOLUN-
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TEER DRIVERS PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAM
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OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR VET-
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ERANS.
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Section 111A(b) of title 38, United States Code, is
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amended—
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(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’;
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and
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5
† S 850 ES
(2) by adding at the end the following new
1
paragraph:
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‘‘(2)(A) Not later than 90 days after the date of the
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enactment of the Highly Rural Veteran Transportation
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Program Extension Act, the Secretary shall develop and
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establish a national protocol for the administration of
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medical examinations for volunteer drivers to participate
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in the program described in paragraph (1).
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‘‘(B) In developing the protocol required by subpara-
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graph (A), the Secretary shall consult with such persons
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as the Secretary determines have an interest in the pro-
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gram described in paragraph (1).
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‘‘(C)(i) The Secretary shall implement the protocol
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by first conducting a one-year pilot program using the pro-
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tocol.
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‘‘(ii) After conducting the pilot program required by
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clause (i), the Secretary shall assess the pilot program and
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make such changes to the protocol as the Secretary con-
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siders appropriate.
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‘‘(iii) After making changes to the protocol under
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clause (ii), the Secretary shall implement the protocol in
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phases during the course of one year.’’.
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† S 850 ES
SEC. 5. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES
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REPORT
ON
TRANSPORTATION
SERVICES
2
FOR VETERANS.
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(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than one year
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after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp-
5
troller General of the United States shall submit to the
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Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
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Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
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resentatives a report on the program the establishment of
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which was facilitated under section 111A(b) of title 38,
10
United States Code.
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(b) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under sub-
12
section (a) shall include the following:
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(1) A description of the program described in
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subsection (a), including descriptions of the fol-
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lowing:
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(A) The purpose of the program.
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(B) The activities carried out under the
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program.
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(2) An assessment of the sufficiency of the pro-
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gram with respect to the purpose of the program.
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(3) An assessment of the cost effectiveness of
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the program in relation to alternatives.
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(4) An assessment of the health benefits for
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veterans who have participated in the program.
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† S 850 ES
(5) An assessment of the sufficiency of staffing
1
of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs
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who are responsible for facilitating the maintenance
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of the program.
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(6) An assessment, with respect to the purpose
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of the program, of the number of vehicles owned by
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and operating in conjunction with the program.
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(7) An assessment of the awareness and usage
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of the program by veterans and their families.
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(8) An assessment of other options for trans-
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portation under the program, such as local taxi com-
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panies and ridesharing programs such as Uber and
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Lyft.
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Passed the Senate July 30, 2020.
Attest:
Secretary.
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 850
AN ACT
To extend the authorization of appropriations to
the Department of Veterans Affairs for purposes
of awarding grants to veterans service organiza-
tions for the transportation of highly rural vet-
erans.
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