PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 28, 2005
Veterans' Health Care and Equitable Access Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make specified funds available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) for Veterans Health Administration FY 2007 programs.
Prohibits fund use for: (1) construction, acquisition, or alteration of veterans' medical facilities (other than for certain repairs); or (2) grants for the construction of State home facilities for veterans' domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care.
Directs the Secretary to conduct a pilot program to improve health care access for rural veterans.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Provides: (1) for travel reimbursement for veterans receiving treatment in VA facilities at the same as for Federal employees on official business; (2) that the disability rating for a veteran who loses a limb as a result of a service-connected injury shall be at least 50 percent; and (3) that if a member of the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve dies while on active service or active status such individual's child enrolled in any Federal child care program shall continue receiving such services for 24 months after such death.
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a Medicare subvention project under which HHS shall reimburse the VA for Medicare health care services furnished to Medicare-eligible veterans in VA facilities.
People & committees
Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · R–SD
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6400-6401)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 15, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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