PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 13, 2025
Driver Reimbursement Increase for Veteran Equity Act of 2025 or the DRIVE Act of 2025
This bill increases the mileage reimbursement rate available to beneficiaries for travel to or from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities in connection with vocational rehabilitation, required counseling, or for the purpose of examination, treatment, or care. Specifically, the bill makes the reimbursement rate for such travel equal to or greater than the mileage reimbursement rate for government employees using private vehicles when no government vehicle is available.
The bill also requires the VA to ensure that an allowance based on mileage is paid not later than 90 days after the request is properly submitted to the VA.
People & committees
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Sep 19, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-13 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposal would change mileage reimbursements for people receiving Department of Veterans Affairs beneficiary travel payments. It would set a minimum rate tied to what federal employees receive for official travel in personal vehicles when no government vehicle is available. In fiscal years when the Department makes payments under this authority, properly submitted mileage requests would have to be paid within 90 days.
The Secretary shall ensure that the mileage rate described in subsection (a) is equal to or greater than the mileage reimbursement rate for the use of privately owned vehicles by Government employees on official business (when no Government vehicle is available)
If, with respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary exercises the authority under this section to make any payments, the Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that an allowance based on mileage paid under subsection (a) is paid not later than 90 days after the date on which a request for such allowance is properly submitted to the Secretary
Section 1 names the proposal the Driver Reimbursement Increase for Veteran Equity Act of 2025, or DRIVE Act of 2025.
This Act may be cited as the Driver Reimbursement Increase for Veteran Equity Act of 2025 or the DRIVE Act of 2025.
Section 2(a) would replace the existing subsection governing the mileage rate with a requirement that the Veterans Affairs Secretary set it at least as high as the specified federal employee rate. The benchmark would be the rate prescribed by the Administrator of General Services for official use of personal vehicles when no government vehicle is available; the proposal would permit a higher rate.
Subsection (g) of section 111 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (g) The Secretary shall ensure that the mileage rate described in subsection (a) is equal to or greater than the mileage reimbursement rate for the use of privately owned vehicles by Government employees on official business (when no Government vehicle is available), as prescribed by the Administrator of General Services under section 5707(b) of title 5.
Section 2(b) would require mileage allowances to be paid within 90 days after a request is properly submitted under regulations the Secretary may prescribe. This duty would apply in any fiscal year in which the Secretary exercises the authority to make payments under the amended law.
(5) If, with respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary exercises the authority under this section to make any payments, the Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that an allowance based on mileage paid under subsection (a) is paid not later than 90 days after the date on which a request for such allowance is properly submitted to the Secretary in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary.
Section 2(c) would replace the statutory reference to 41.5 cents per mile with a reference to the new rate-setting rule. It would also delete the phrase “and notwithstanding subsection (g)(2) of this section” from subsection (b)(1).
(1) in subsection (a), by striking (at a rate of 41.5 cents per mile) and inserting (at a rate determined in accordance with subsection (g)); and (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking and notwithstanding subsection (g)(2) of this section.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated September 19, 2026, records introduction and referral to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs on February 13, 2025, followed by referral to the Subcommittee on Health on April 11, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-19T23:41:21Z. 2025-04-11: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. 2025-02-13: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. 2025-02-13: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-13. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; earmark disclosures and accompanying committee materials are not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential exception was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. Coverage of the travel program's intended beneficiaries alone does not constitute such a finding. This conclusion does not extend to other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 19, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI