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Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to tie mileage-based travel allowances for beneficiaries to the Federal employee mileage reimbursement rate set by the General Services Administration (GSA) rather than a fixed cents-per-mile amount, and replaces the fixed 41.5¢/mile figure in current law with the GSA-based rate. It also requires that properly submitted mileage reimbursement claims be paid within 90 days. The change raises or lowers VA mileage payments automatically as the GSA rate changes (ensuring VA will pay at least the GSA rate) and speeds payments by imposing a 90-day payment deadline for valid claims, reducing delays for veterans who travel for VA care or benefits appointments.
Amend subsection (g) of 38 U.S.C. §111 to require the Secretary to ensure that the mileage rate described in subsection (a) is equal to or greater than the mileage reimbursement rate for use of privately owned vehicles by Government employees (as prescribed by the Administrator of General Services under 5 U.S.C. §5707(b)).
Add new paragraph (5) to subsection (b) of 38 U.S.C. §111 requiring that if the Secretary makes any payments under this section in a fiscal year, the Secretary must take actions necessary to ensure an allowance based on mileage paid under subsection (a) is paid not later than 90 days after a properly submitted request (per VA regulations).
In subsection (a) of 38 U.S.C. §111, strike the phrase "(at a rate of 41.5 cents per mile)" and insert "(at a rate determined in accordance with subsection (g))", removing the fixed 41.5 cents-per-mile figure and tying the rate to subsection (g).
Conforming amendment to subsection (b)(1) of 38 U.S.C. §111: the text indicates that something in subsection (b)(1) is to be struck (the section reads "by striking ." without specifying the exact text to be removed).
Primary beneficiaries are veterans and other VA beneficiaries who travel for care or VA business; they will receive mileage payments that keep pace with the Federal employee rate and have stronger protections against delayed payment. The 90-day payment requirement reduces cash-flow burdens for veterans by requiring VA to process and pay properly submitted mileage claims promptly. For the VA, operations and claims-processing systems may require minor procedural or administrative updates to track GSA rate changes and ensure payments meet the 90-day deadline; staff workloads could increase modestly if claims volumes remain the same but payment windows shorten. Budgetary impact is likely small in the context of total VA spending but could rise modestly if the GSA rate exceeds the former fixed rate—raising per-mile reimbursement amounts across all qualifying claims. No new authorization for appropriations is included, so additional payment costs would be absorbed within existing VA budgets unless Congress provides supplemental funds.
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DRIVE Act of 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Peter Welch · Last progress February 13, 2025
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-86.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in Senate