Bill > S784

This bill expands and modifies the Department of Veterans Affairs' transportation grant program to provide more flexible support for veterans in rural and highly rural areas. Specifically, the bill broadens the types of organizations eligible to receive grants, including county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations, and updates the definitions of "rural" and "highly rural" to use the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system developed by the Department of Agriculture. The maximum grant amount is increased to $60,000, with the potential to increase to $80,000 if a vehicle must be purchased to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The bill also removes the previous funding cap of $3,000,000 per fiscal year and instead allows for "such sums as may be necessary" to support transportation services. The goal is to improve transportation access for veterans in areas with limited public transit options, helping them more easily reach medical care and other essential services. The bill will be known as the "Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act" and modifies an existing grant program established in the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010.