COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, 
VETERANS AFFAIRS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION 
 
09/26/2024-REPORTED OUT TO THE FLOOR 
09/26/2024-AMENDED AND REPORTED OUT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY 
06/02/2023 - REASSIGNED TO THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, APPROPRIATIONS AND FINANCE 
 
BILL NO. 
35-0087 
 
Thirty- Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands 
 
 
 
May 31, 2023 
 
 
 
An Act amending title 33 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 111 to add section 3038a to establish in 
the Treasury of the Virgin Islands a special fund designated as the Veterans Mainland Travel 
Revolving Fund and appropriating $250,000 for reimbursement for veterans’ airfare to travel 
outside of the VA Caribbean Healthcare Network for necessary medical care 
 
 
 
PROPOSED BY: 
 
 
 
Senators Dwayne M. DeGraff, Marvin A. Blyden, 
Diane T. Capehart and Milton E. Potter 
WHEREAS, the Virgin Islands Office of Veterans Affairs is part of the VA Caribbean 
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Healthcare Network which has community based outpatient clinics (CBOC) in Puerto Rico, on 
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St. Croix and St. Thomas, and its main medical facility in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and  
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WHEREAS, the CBOCs are limited in the healthcare they can provide veterans, and 
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when veterans require more extensive healthcare than primary/preventative care, they are 
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required to make an appointment through a CBOC at the closest VA medical facility, which is 
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the San Juan VA Medical Center in Puerto Rico.  In some circumstances, the VA will reimburse 
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veterans, and one necessary attendant, for 100% of the costs associated with travel in-network 
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to Puerto Rico; and 
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WHEREAS, in many cases, the San Juan VA Medical Center cannot see veterans in a 
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timely manner, and veterans must wait to receive necessary healthcare.  While there are VA 
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healthcare facilities on the mainland that could accommodate the needs of the veterans who 
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cannot be seen judiciously in Puerto Rico, it is the policy of the Office of Veterans Affairs to 
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reimburse no more than $250 for travel outside the VA Caribbean Network, and only under 
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very limited circumstances.  The reimbursement must be approved by the Director of Veterans 
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Affairs, and only if funds are available; and 
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WHEREAS, this policy leaves many Virgin Islands veterans without efficient access to 
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the same necessary healthcare that other veterans on the mainland enjoy; and 
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WHEREAS, to ensure that Virgin Islands veterans receive the same access to necessary 
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healthcare that other U.S. veterans enjoy, it is necessary to create a fund that will reimburse 
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veterans 100% for the out-of-pocket expenses they pay for travel for healthcare outside the VA 
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Caribbean Healthcare Network; Now, Therefore, 
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands:  
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SECTION 1. Title 33 Virgin Islands Code, subtitle 3, chapter 111, section 3038 is 
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repealed and reenacted with amendments as follows: 
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Ҥ 3038 Veterans Emergency and Mainland Transportation Account (a) There is 
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established within the Office of Veterans Affairs, under the Office of the Governor, an account 
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to be known as the 'Veterans Emergency and Mainland Transportation Account.' The purpose 
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of this account is to provide transportation assistance to veterans for the purpose of receiving 
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necessary medical care. The funds in the Account must be used exclusively to cover airfare 
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expenses for Virgin Islands veterans who travel to the mainland United States to receive 
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necessary medical care. Reimbursement shall be provided upon presentation of documentation 
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signed by an authorized licensed medical provider. 
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(b) 
The Director of Veterans Affairs, or a designee within the Office of the Governor, 
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shall cover all or part of the costs associated with transporting veterans of the United States 
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Armed Forces residing in the Virgin Islands to and from Veterans Administration hospitals, 
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located outside the territory for the purpose of receiving emergency medical treatment or 
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3 
 
services. Additionally, funds may be disbursed to cover transportation costs for at least one 
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family member, or other individual, to accompany the veteran to and from the medical facility. 
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(c) 
The Director of Veterans Affairs, or a designee within the Office of the Governor, 
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shall pay 100% of the airfare costs incurred by Virgin Islands veterans of the United States 
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Armed Forces for travel, up to twice per calendar year, to and from medical facilities, including 
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Veterans Administration hospitals, located on the mainland United States, for the purpose of 
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receiving medical treatment and services. Additionally, the Director shall cover 100% of the 
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airfare costs for at least one family member, or other individual, to accompany the veteran, 
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provided that the veteran requires assistance with daily tasks or is suffering from a catastrophic 
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illness. 
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(d) 
The Commissioner of Health and the Director of the Office of Veterans Affairs 
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shall promulgate regulations defining the terms 'emergency treatment and services' and 
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'catastrophic illness' for the purposes of subsection (c).  
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(e) 
For the purposes of this section, a 'Virgin Islands Veteran' is a person who was  
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discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable discharge from the United 
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States Armed Services who served in active military, naval or space services and who either 
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(1) entered the Armed Services of the United States while residing in the Virgin Islands, or (2) 
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claimed the Virgin Islands as his domicile but entered the Armed Services in another 
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jurisdiction while temporarily residing there for the purpose of attending high school or 
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postsecondary education, or (3),  served in the Virgin Islands National Guard for 20 or more 
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years of qualifying service as a traditional M-Day soldier or airman.  and who. 
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SECTION 2.  The sum of $250,000 is appropriated annually, beginning in the fiscal year 
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ending September 30, 2025, from the General Fund of the Treasury of the Government of the 
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Virgin Islands to the Veterans Emergency and Mainland Transportation Account. These funds 
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shall be used exclusively to cover airfare expenses for Virgin Islands veterans who travel to 
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the mainland United States to receive necessary medical care. Reimbursement shall be 
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4 
 
provided upon presentation of documentation signed by an authorized licensed medical 
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provider. 
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BILL SUMMARY 
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This bill amends title 33, Virgin Islands Code, chapter 111 to establish in the Treasury 
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of the Virgin Islands a special fund designated as the Veterans Mainland Travel Revolving 
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Fund and appropriating $250,000 annually for reimbursement for airfare for travel outside of 
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the VA Caribbean Healthcare Network for the veteran and least one member of the veteran's 
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family or other person to accompany the veteran to and from the Veterans Administration 
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Hospital on the mainland. 
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BR23-0129/March 28, 2023/REVISED/April 21, 2023/HLF 
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..\..\..\..\AMENDS\35th Legislature\DeGRAFF, DWAYNE M\Amendment 35-1006\35-
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1006 (REVISED) DRAFTED ON YELLOW.docx 
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