#aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4    
#hej  ,,an ,,act  ,to ext5d !           
au?orization ( appropriations to !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs = purposes
 ( aw>d+ grants to vet]ans s]vice       
organizations = ! transportation (      
highly rural vet]ans4  #a4 ,%ort title  
,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,highly ,rural
 ,vet]an ,transportation ,program       
,ext5sion ,act4  #b4 ,ext5sion (        
au?ority to make grants to ,vet]ans     
,s]vice ,organizations = transportation 
( highly rural vet]ans ,section #cjg7;d7
 ( ! ,c>egiv]s & ,vet]ans ,omnibus      
,heal? ,s]vices ,act ( #bjaj 7,public   
,law #aaa-afc2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #agaj note7
 is am5d$ by /rik+ #bjbj & ins]t+ #bjba4
  #c4 ,mak+ p]man5t au?ority = ,secret>y
 ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to transport       
individuals to & f facilities (         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,9   
g5]al ,section #aaa;,a7a7 ( title #ch1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by 
/rik+ p>agraph 7#b72 &  7#b7 9 p>agraph 
7#a71 by /rik+ 7#a74  7b7 ,report       

requir$  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an five 
ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all submit to ,congress a report on co/
 sav+s1 p]=mance1 & satisfaction (      
individuals1 ) respect to-- 7,a7 !      
transport by ! ,secret>y ( individuals  
"u subsection 7a7 ( section #aaa;,a (   
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 &  7,b7 
! program ! e/abli%m5t ( :i* 0          
facilitat$ "u subsection 7b7 ( su*      
section4  7#b7 ,elem5ts ,! report       
requir$ by p>agraph 7#a7 %all include an
 assessm5t ( ! effect ( em]g+ heal? c>e 
modalities1 includ+ teleheal? & ,,va    
,video ,connect1 on-- 7,a7 ! transport (
 individuals describ$ 9 p>agraph        
7#a77;,a72  7,b7 ! satisfaction ( su*   
individuals ) s]vices describ$ 9 section
 #aaa;,a7a7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates  
,code2 &  7,c7 ! program describ$ 9     
p>agraph 7#a77;,b74  7#c7 ,def9itions ,9
 ?is subsection3 7,a7 ,teleheal?  7i7 ,9
 g5]al ,! t]m teleheal? means ! use (   
electronic in=mation &                  

telecommunications te*nologies to       
support & promote long-di/ance cl9ical  
heal? c>e1 pati5t & pr(essional         
heal?-relat$ education1 public heal?1 & 
heal? adm9i/ration4  7ii7 ,te*nologies  
,= purposes ( clause 7i71               
telecommunications te*nologies include  
videoconf]5c+1 ! int]net1 /ream+ m$ia1 &
 t]re/rial & wireless communications4   
7,b7 ,,va ,video ,connect ,! t]m ,,va   
,video ,connect means ! program ( !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to connect
 vet]ans ) _! heal? c>e team f any:]e1  
us+ encryption to ensure a secure &     
private session4  7c7 ,te*nical         
correction ,section #aaa;,a7b7 ( title  
#ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by   
/rik+ vet]ans' s]vice organizations &   
ins]t+ vet]ans s]vice organizations4    
#d4 ,m$ical exam9ation protocol =       
volunte] driv]s p>ticipat+ 9 program (  
transportation s]vices = vet]ans        
,section #aaa;,a7b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ 
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by ins]t+ 
7#a7 be=e ,! ,secret>y2 &  7#b7 by add+ 

at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#b7   
7,a7 ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( 
! enactm5t ( ! ,highly ,rural ,vet]an   
,transportation ,program ,ext5sion ,act1
 ! ,secret>y %all develop & e/abli% a   
national protocol = ! adm9i/ration (    
m$ical exam9ations = volunte] driv]s to 
p>ticipate 9 ! program describ$ 9       
p>agraph 7#a74  7,b7 ,9 develop+ !      
protocol requir$ by subp>agraph 7,a71 ! 
,secret>y %all consult ) su* p]sons z ! 
,secret>y det]m9es h an int]e/ 9 !      
program describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a74  7,c7 
7i7 ,! ,secret>y %all implem5t !        
protocol by fir/ conduct+ a "o-ye> pilot
 program us+ ! protocol4  7ii7 ,aft]    
conduct+ ! pilot program requir$ by     
clause 7i71 ! ,secret>y %all assess !   
pilot program & make su* *anges to !    
protocol z ! ,secret>y consid]s         
appropriate4  7iii7 ,aft] mak+ *anges to
 ! protocol "u clause 7ii71 ! ,secret>y 
%all implem5t ! protocol 9 phases dur+ !
 c\rse ( "o ye>4  4  #e4 ,comptroll]    
,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates report on      

transportation s]vices = vet]ans  7a7   
,report requir$ ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] 
! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !       
,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
%all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'
 ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives a report on ! program ! 
e/abli%m5t ( :i* 0 facilitat$ "u section
 #aaa;,a7b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates  
,code4  7b7 ,cont5ts ,! report submitt$ 
"u subsection 7a7 %all include ! foll[+3
 7#a7 ,a description ( ! program        
describ$ 9 subsection 7a71 includ+      
descriptions ( ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,! purpose
 ( ! program4  7,b7 ,! activities c>ri$ 
out "u ! program4  7#b7 ,an assessm5t ( 
! suffici5cy ( ! program ) respect to ! 
purpose ( ! program4  7#c7 ,an assessm5t
 ( ! co/ effectiv5ess ( ! program 9     
relation to alt]natives4  7#d7 ,an      
assessm5t ( ! heal? b5efits = vet]ans :o
 h p>ticipat$ 9 ! program4  7#e7 ,an    
assessm5t ( ! suffici5cy ( /aff+ (      
employees ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      

,affairs :o are responsible = facilitat+
 ! ma9t5ance ( ! program4  7#f7 ,an     
assessm5t1 ) respect to ! purpose ( !   
program1 ( ! numb] ( vehicles own$ by & 
op]at+ 9 conjunction ) ! program4  7#g7 
,an assessm5t ( ! aw>5ess & usage ( !   
program by vet]ans & _! families4  7#h7 
,an assessm5t ( o!r options =           
transportation "u ! program1 su* z local
 taxi companies & ride%>+ programs su* z
 ,ub] & ,lyft4  ,pass$ ! ,s5ate ,july   
#cj1 #bjbj4,secret>y