Bipartisan Southwest Caucus Co-Leads Effort to Increase Rural Veterans’ Transportation to Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressmen Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Southwest Caucus, co-led new legislation today to expand access for rural veterans in need of transportation to Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facilities.
The Congressmen are co-leading the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act; this legislation expands eligibility for the VA’s Highly Rural Transportation Grant (HRTG) Program, which provides grant funding for Veteran Service Organizations and State Veterans Service Agencies to provide free transportation to veterans.
In September, Congressmen Ciscomani and Vasquez also introduced H.R. 5470, the Veteran Medical Exams for Distant Areas (VET MEDS) Act, which would extend a provision for VA-certified contractors to conduct exams across state lines. In October, the VET MEDS Act was signed into law as part of a larger Senate package.
“Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and it is our duty to ensure they receive the support and resources they need. I'm proud to introduce the bipartisan Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act to ensure our veterans get the care they need, regardless of where they live,” said Vasquez, who represents over 45,000 veterans in NM-02. “In a recent roundtable with veterans, I heard firsthand about the challenges of having to travel for hours to access vital services. This bipartisan bill will ease the burden for our rural veterans and ensure they receive the care and assistance they deserve.”
“Our veterans deserve access to high-quality, affordable care no matter what corner of Arizona they live in,” said Ciscomani, who represents over 70,000 veterans in AZ-06. “This bipartisan effort helps facilitate transportation for our veterans so they can get the care they deserve in a timely and efficient manner. We made a solemn promise to care for those who served our country, and this legislation helps to fulfill that duty.”
The changes in this bipartisan bill would improve how the VA measures rurality, helping more veterans living in rural areas get transportation to VA or VA-authorized health care facilities. In New Mexico, this would almost double the number of eligible counties. In NM-02, this bill would expand eligibility to now include Otero, Eddy, McKinley, Chaves, and Lea. Notably, this also expands into tribal communities. In AZ-06, Cochise and Pinal Counties would become eligible.
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