S. 599

119 S599 IS: Driver Reimbursement Increase for Veteran Equity Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-02-13
 text/xml
 EN
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 II  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 599  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   February 13, 2025   Mr. Welch  (for himself,  Mr. Padilla ,  Ms. Cortez Masto ,  Ms. Hirono ,  Mrs. Shaheen ,  Ms. Smith ,  Mr. Wyden , and  Mr. Booker ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Veterans' Affairs    A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the mileage rate offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs through their Beneficiary Travel program for health related travel, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Driver Reimbursement Increase for Veteran Equity Act of 2025   or the   DRIVE Act of 2025  .
2.
Payments or allowances by Department of Veterans Affairs for beneficiary travel
(a)
Minimum payment amount
Subsection (g) of section 111 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(g)
The Secretary shall ensure that the mileage rate described in subsection (a) is equal to or greater than the mileage reimbursement rate for the use of privately owned vehicles by Government employees on official business (when no Government vehicle is available), as prescribed by the Administrator of General Services under section 5707(b) of title 5.
 .
(b)
Timely processing of allowances
Subsection (b) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(5)
If, with respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary exercises the authority under this section to make any payments, the Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that an allowance based on mileage paid under subsection (a) is paid not later than 90 days after the date on which a request for such allowance is properly submitted to the Secretary in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary.
 .
(c)
Conforming amendments
Such section is further amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by striking  (at a rate of 41.5 cents per mile)  and inserting  (at a rate determined in accordance with subsection (g)) ; and
(2)
in subsection (b)(1), by striking  and notwithstanding subsection (g)(2) of this section .