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ASSIST Act

Veterans are two to ten times more likely to be diagnosed with ALS than civilians, with the risk depending on their time and type of service.

The Automotive Support Services to Improve Safe Transportation (ASSIST) Act (S. 1726), a bipartisan bill, would provide the VA with greater flexibility to offer financial assistance for a wider range of necessary vehicle modifications. This would help disabled veterans, including those with ALS, travel safely.

Currently, VA policy restricts funding for accessible vehicles to just vans and modifications to a limited list of adaptive equipment. These limitations prevent Veterans from modifying their existing vehicles that aren’t vans or making essential adaptations like ramps, kneeling systems, lifts, and entry/exit modifications. The ASSIST Act would close this gap, ensuring Veterans can continue to travel safely and independently.

This bill has already passed in the House of Representatives: https://barrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-unanimously-passes-barretts-bipartisan-assist-act-help-disabled-veterans

Onto the Senate!