Barrett Introduces Bill To Ensure Timely Payments for Vehicle Modifications That Help Disabled Veterans

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07) today introduced the Centralized Reimbursement for Upgraded Innovative Service Equipment (CRUISE) Act to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs efficiently reimburses businesses that modify vehicles to accommodate veterans’ disabilities.

Currently, individual VA hospitals are responsible for issuing these reimbursements, but some hospitals have fallen behind on paying invoices. This creates a real financial burden that is hurting the small businesses that install wheelchair ramps, lifts, and other vehicle modifications for veterans. Barrett’s CRUISE Act will centralize and streamline the process to provide timely payments.

“We have an obligation to ensure the men and women who were injured in the line of duty can get to the grocery store, the doctor’s office, or a loved one’s home,” said Barrett. “When VA hospitals can’t pay their bills on time, they hurt the professionals who install ramps and other vehicle modifications for disabled veterans. These delays are unacceptable and jeopardize the stability of the program. Mobility equipment dealers need to know they can count on the VA for timely, fair compensation, and the CRUISE Act will streamline the payment process to make sure that happens and veterans can get where they need to go.”

Background Information:
The VA’s Automobile Adaptive Equipment (AAE) program pays for vehicle modifications necessary for veterans with service-connected disabilities to drive or to enter and exit their vehicles. As of May 2025, the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association was aware of nearly $11 million in payments owed to dealers that were more than 90 days overdue.

Barrett’s CRUISE Act (H.R. 7083) would centralize the AAE reimbursement process at the VA and remove that responsibility from VA hospitals. The bill would require the department to implement a process to track invoices and issue payments. If the department is unable to process a payment within 30 days, it must inform a dealer how many days are necessary to make the payment.

Barrett has been a leader on efforts to help disabled veterans with their transportation needs. Last year, the House unanimously approved Barrett’s Automotive Support Services to Improve Safe Transportation (ASSIST) Act, which would authorize the VA to cover a wider variety of vehicle modifications.

CLICK HERE to read the bill.

###