II
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION S. 599
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.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY13, 2025
Mr. W
ELCH(for himself, Mr. PADILLA, Ms. CORTEZMASTO, Ms. HIRONO,
Mrs. S
HAHEEN, 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 Af-
fairs through their Beneficiary Travel program for health
related travel, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Driver Reimbursement 4
Increase for Veteran Equity Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘DRIVE 5
Act of 2025’’. 6
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•S 599 IS
SEC. 2. PAYMENTS OR ALLOWANCES BY DEPARTMENT OF 1
VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR BENEFICIARY TRAV-2
EL. 3
(a) M
INIMUMPAYMENTAMOUNT.—Subsection (g) of 4
section 111 of title 38, United States Code, is amended 5
to read as follows: 6
‘‘(g) The Secretary shall ensure that the mileage rate 7
described in subsection (a) is equal to or greater than the 8
mileage reimbursement rate for the use of privately owned 9
vehicles by Government employees on official business 10
(when no Government vehicle is available), as prescribed 11
by the Administrator of General Services under section 12
5707(b) of title 5.’’. 13
(b) T
IMELYPROCESSING OF ALLOWANCES.—Sub-14
section (b) of such section is amended by adding at the 15
end the following new paragraph: 16
‘‘(5) If, with respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary 17
exercises the authority under this section to make any pay-18
ments, the Secretary shall take such actions as may be 19
necessary to ensure that an allowance based on mileage 20
paid under subsection (a) is paid not later than 90 days 21
after the date on which a request for such allowance is 22
properly submitted to the Secretary in accordance with 23
such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary.’’. 24
(c) C
ONFORMINGAMENDMENTS.—Such section is 25
further amended— 26
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•S 599 IS
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘(at a rate of 1
41.5 cents per mile)’’ and inserting ‘‘(at a rate de-2
termined in accordance with subsection (g))’’; and 3
(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘and not-4
withstanding subsection (g)(2) of this section’’. 5
Æ
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