,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #aacd  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #ac1 #bjac ,mr4  
,gallego introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'     
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct !       
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry   
out a grant program & pilot program     
design$ to improve ! deliv]y ( heal? c>e
 to vet]ans resid+ 9 rural areas1 & =   
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,f9d+s ,congress     
makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3  7#a7 ,! e/imat$  
vet]an population ( ! ,nation is        
#bb1cbh1jjj4  7#b7 ,ne>ly #cj p]c5t (   
vet]ans live 9 rural areas1 ) y\ng]     
vet]ans :o s]v$ 9 support ( ,op]ation   
,iraqi ,fre$om & ,op]ation ,endur+      
,fre$om m likely ?an o!r vet]ans to live
 9 rural areas4  7#c7 ,vet]ans liv+ 9   
rural areas are report$ to be 9 poor]   
heal? ?an vet]ans liv+ 9 urban areas4   
7#d7 ,vet]ans liv+ 9 rural areas (t5 ne$
 to travel extremely long di/ances to   
receive m$ical c>e & ! o!r s]vices to   
:i* !y are entitl$4  7#e7 ,! m$ical     

facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs include #hba community-bas$    
outpati5t cl9ics1 #cjj vet]ans c5t]s1 & 
#aeb hospitals4  7#f7 ,rural vet]ans    
repres5t #da p]c5t ( ! total numb] (    
vet]ans enroll$ 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs pati5t enrollm5t sy/em "u     
section #agje ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates
 ,code4  7#g7 ,a high] p]c5tage (       
vet]ans resid+ 9 rural areas report$    
hav+ at lea/ "o disability comp>$ )     
vet]ans resid+ 9 urban areas4  7#h7 ,ea*
 ye> m ?an #aej1jjj memb]s ( ! ,arm$    
,=ces are dis*>g$ or sep>at$ f s]vice 9 
! ,arm$ ,=ces & transition to vet]an    
/atus4  7#i7 ,navigat+ ! transition f ! 
heal? c>e sy/em ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se to
 ! heal? c>e sy/em ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs involves ! coord9ation
 ( data & in=mation betwe5 ,dep>tm5t (  
,def5se & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs4  7#aj7 ,x is important to     
develop electronic heal? records t c be 
access$ by bo? ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se & !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs :e!r a   

pati5t is a memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces or a  
vet]an to ensure ! great] availability (
 heal? c>e in=mation = memb]s ( ! ,arm$ 
,=ces & vet]ans4  #b4 ,transportation   
grants = rural vet]ans s]vice           
organizations  7a7 ,grants ,au?oriz$    
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs %all e/abli% a grant program to
 provide innovative transportation      
options to vet]ans 9 highly rural areas4
  7#b7 ,use ( funds ,grants aw>d$ "u ?is
 section may be us$ by ,/ate vet]ans    
s]vice ag5cies & vet]ans s]vice         
organizations to--  7,a7 assi/ vet]ans 9
 highly rural areas to travel to        
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical    
c5t]s2 &  7,b7 o!rwise assi/ 9 provid+  
m$ical c>e to vet]ans 9 highly rural    
areas4  7#c7 ,maximum am\nt ,! am\nt ( a
 grant "u ?is section may n exce$       
#ej1jjj4  7#d7 ,no mat*+ requirem5t ,!  
recipi5t ( a grant "u ?is section may n 
be requir$ to provide mat*+ funds z a   
condition = receiv+ su* grant4  7#e7    
,recov]y ( unus$ grant funds ,if a      

recipi5t ( a grant does n use ! full    
am\nt ( funds receiv$ "u ?is section by 
n lat] ?an ,septemb] #cj ( ! fiscal ye> 
9 :i* su* grant 0 aw>d$1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 %all be entitl$ to recov] f su*        
recipi5t ! total ( all unus$ grant      
am\nts made "u ?is section to su*       
recipi5t4  7b7 ,regulations ,! ,secret>y
 %all prescribe regulations =--  7#a7   
evaluat+ grant applications "u ?is      
section2 &  7#b7 o!rwise adm9i/]+ !     
program e/abli%$ by ?is section4  7c7   
,reports ,n lat] ?an ,febru>y #a ( ea*  
ye>1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to         
,congress a report conta9+ in=mation    
relat$ to ea* grant aw>d$ "u ?is section
 dur+ ! prec$+ ye>1 includ+--  7#a7 ! "n
 ( ! grant recipi5t2 &  7#b7 ! am\nt ( !
 grant4  7d7 ,vet]ans ,s]vice           
,organization ,def9ition ,9 ?is section1
 ! t]m vet]ans s]vice organization means
 any organization recogniz$ by !        
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs = !       
repres5tation ( vet]ans "u section #eijb
 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  #c4 

,outrea* requirem5t  7a7 ,outrea*       
requir$ ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 %all conduct outrea*1 includ+ "u *apt] 
#fc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to
 educate vet]ans & _! family memb]s ab\t
 ! availability ( transportation to     
assi/ vet]ans liv+ 9 rural areas 9      
travel+ to ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 m$ical facilities1 includ+             
transportation available pursuant to a  
grant made "u section #b4  7b7 ,outrea* 
def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m outrea* %all
 h ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9 section       
#fcja7;b77#a7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates
 ,code4  #d4 ,pilot program = !         
implem5tation ( electronic heal? record 
sy/ems or capabilities at ,dep>tm5t (   
,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical facilities     
locat$ 9 rural areas  7a7 ,pilot program
 ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 9    
coop]ation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se1 %all
 c>ry out a pilot program "u section    
#afce7;f7 ( ! ,national ,def5se         
,au?orization ,act ( ,fiscal ,ye> #bjjh 
7,public ,law #aaj-aha2 #abb ,/at4 #dfb2

 #aj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajga note7 at ,dep>tm5t 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical facilities   
locat$ 9 rural areas & select$ by !     
,secret>y4 ,su* pilot program %all be   
design$ to--  7#a7 implem5t at su*      
m$ical facilities electronic heal?      
record sy/ems or capabilities t all[ =  
full int]op]ability ( p]sonal heal? c>e 
in=mation betwe5 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se &
 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs2  7#b7 
ensure t vet]ans s]v$ by su* m$ical     
facilities are af=d$ ! te*nological     
advances to improve ! quality ( heal?   
c>e !y receive2  7#c7 provide physicians
 & o!r p]sonnel at su* m$ical facilities
 ) access to ! complete p]sonal heal?   
c>e in=mation ( memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces  
:o are dis*>g$ or releas$ f s]vice 9 !  
,arm$ ,=ces2 &  7#d7 increase !         
accessibility1 effici5cy1 & use (       
electronic heal? records at su*         
facilities to meet improv$ heal? c>e    
ne$s4  7b7 ,selection ( m$ical          
facilities ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs1 9 coop]ation ) ! ,secret>y (  

,def5se1 %all select ,dep>tm5t (        
,vet]ans ,affairs m$ical facilities at  
:i* to c>ry out ! pilot program "u ?is  
section4 ,su* facilities %all be locat$ 
9 rural areas :]e ! population rate (   
vet]ans exce$s six p]c5t4  7c7 ,reports 
,n lat] ?an ,april #a ( ea* ye>1 !      
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
submit to ,congress a report on ! pilot 
program "u ?is section4 ,ea* su* report 
%all include--  7#a7 an evaluation ( be/
 practices relat+ to furni%+ heal? c>e  
to vet]ans resid+ 9 rural areas2  7#b7  
an evaluation ( ! education & tra9+     
provid$ to physicians & o!r p]sonnel at 
m$ical facilities p>ticipat+ 9 ! pilot  
program2 &  7#c7 an evaluation ( ! heal?
 c>e provid$ to vet]ans resid+ 9 rural  
areas4