H.R. 5957: Connecting Veterans to Care Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Connecting Veterans to Care Act of 2025, aims to amend existing transportation policies related to public transport services for veterans. It proposes changes to the eligibility criteria for federal funding for urban public transport that serves Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. Here are the main provisions of the bill:

Eligibility for Federal Funding

The bill expands the eligibility for urbanized area formula grants under Section 5307 of Title 49 of the United States Code. Specifically, it allows public transportation systems that service a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility to qualify for funding, in addition to urban areas with populations under 200,000.

Requirements for Recipients of Funds

Recipients of these funds will be required to provide a certification to the Secretary of Transportation. This certification must be submitted within 30 days of receiving the grant funds and annually thereafter. The certification must confirm that the operating costs will be utilized specifically for providing transportation to a VA medical facility.

Consequences of Non-compliance

If the Secretary of Transportation determines that a recipient has not used the funds as certified, there are penalties in place. Specifically, the Secretary can suspend the financial assistance provided for those operating costs.

Impact on Public Transportation Services

The intent of the bill is to ensure that veterans have better access to medical care by enhancing public transportation options available to them. By broadening the scope of who can receive funding, it aims to improve the availability and reliability of transport services connecting veterans to care facilities.

Overall Goals

The overarching goal of the bill is to facilitate and improve the accessibility of healthcare for veterans, thereby supporting their transportation needs when accessing VA medical facilities. It seeks to enhance public transit infrastructure and ensure consistent financial support for these services designated for veterans.

Relevant Companies

• UMC - Companies involved in providing public transportation services may be impacted as they could become eligible for increased federal funding to enhance services for veterans.
• LYFT - Ride-sharing services could see increases in partnerships with local transit authorities to provide transportation for veterans to VA medical facilities.
• UBER - Similar to Lyft, Uber may explore opportunities for contracts or partnerships focused on serving veterans' transportation needs.