To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a grant program for the transportation of veterans who reside in highly rural areas to medical facilities.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9050 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9050

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a grant program for 
  the transportation of veterans who reside in highly rural areas to 
                          medical facilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 15, 2024

Mrs. Peltola (for herself, Mr. Moylan, and Mr. Horsford) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a grant program for 
  the transportation of veterans who reside in highly rural areas to 
                          medical facilities.

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

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF 
              VETERANS WHO RESIDE IN HIGHLY RURAL AREAS TO MEDICAL 
              FACILITIES.

    (a) Establishment.--Chapter 1 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting, after section 111A, the following new section:
``Sec. 111B. Grants for the transportation of veterans who reside in 
              highly rural areas to medical facilities
    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall award grants to entities 
that provide transportation of veterans who reside in highly rural 
areas to medical facilities.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--The following may be awarded a grant 
under this section:
            ``(1) A State veterans service agency.
            ``(2) A veterans service organization.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--A grant under this section may be used to--
            ``(1) assist a veteran who resides in a highly rural area 
        to travel to a medical facility of the Department; or
            ``(2) otherwise assist in providing transportation in 
        connection with the provision of health care to a veteran who 
        resides in highly rural area.
    ``(d) Maximum Amount.--The amount of a grant under this section may 
not exceed $50,000.
    ``(e) No Matching Requirement.--An entity awarded a grant under 
this section shall not be required to provide matching funds as a 
condition for receiving such grant.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030 to 
carry out this section.
    ``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `highly rural area' means an area located 
        in--
                    ``(A) a county in which fewer than seven 
                individuals reside per square mile; or
                    ``(B) Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 
                Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin 
                Islands, or Puerto Rico (not including the San Juan 
                Census Designated Place), that the Secretary determines 
                is not urban in character.
            ``(2) The term `veterans service organization' means an 
        organization recognized by the Secretary under section 5902 of 
        this title.''.
    (b) Table of Sections.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting, after the item relating to 
section 111A, the following new item:

``111B. Grants for the transportation of veterans who reside in highly 
                            rural areas to medical facilities.''.
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