Peace Garden News

U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer, Angus King, and Dan Sullivan have introduced the Supporting Rural Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to reauthorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Highly Rural Transportation Grant (HRTG) Program for five years and expand eligibility to include Tribal Organizations.

The HRTG Program provides free transportation services for veterans living in highly rural areas to attend VA-authorized healthcare appointments. Currently, approximately 2.7 million veterans reside in these regions across the United States.

Lonnie Wangen, Commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, emphasized the importance of transportation assistance: “The number one reason our veterans have for missing a medical appointment is their lack of transportation. The Highly Rural Transportation Grant has provided hundreds of North Dakota’s highly rural veterans transportation to their VA medical appointments.”

Eligible counties under this bill include several in North Dakota such as Adams, Benson, Billings, and many others where population density is less than seven people per square mile.

Senator Cramer highlighted the need for continued support: “North Dakota is home to many veterans who rely on transportation assistance to access their healthcare services,” adding that reauthorizing the program will ensure that veterans can travel to necessary medical appointments.

Senator King pointed out challenges faced by rural Maine communities in accessing care due to distance from facilities and workforce availability: “Where veterans choose to live should not impede their ability to get the care they earned and deserve.”

Senator Sullivan underscored how crucial this assistance is for Alaska's veterans: “Living in a small, highly-rural community far from a major metropolitan center does not justify a veteran losing or receiving limited access to the health care they have sacrificed for and earned.”

Organizations supporting this legislation include the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). DAV stated that "transportation remains a major challenge" for rural veterans enrolled in VA care while WWP noted difficulties experienced by post-9/11 wounded veterans in accessing healthcare through VA.

“Transportation to VA medical facilities remains a major challenge for the 2.7 million veterans who live in rural areas," DAV expressed support saying it would improve access while praising Senators Cramer and King’s leadership.

Wounded Warrior Project remarked on barriers faced by rural area veterans: "The Supporting Rural Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act would help ensure that transportation to appointments is one less barrier."