Hodes wants vets mileage reimbursement increased

U.S. Rep. Paul HodesU.S. Rep. Paul Hodes (D-Concord) is co-sponsoring legislation that would increase the amount veterans traveling for health care receive from the Veterans Affairs Administration.

The bill, Veterans Travel Equity Act, would allow veterans to receive 50.5 cents per mile they travel to a VA hospital.

"With gas prices setting new records again and again this year, it is costing New Hampshire veterans more to drive those long distances to get the care they desperately need," Hodes said in a statement. "Veterans are paying more and drive further to get important medical coverage and that is plain wrong."

Grant Bosse (R-Hillsboro), who is running in the Republican primary to unseat Hodes, called the plan an "election year gimmick."

"Paul Hodes could have finally supported real solutions on health care, veterans, and energy," Bosse said in a statement. "Instead, he staged another photo-op to announce another election year gimmick, throwing our money at a problem instead of proposing a real solution."

Bosse is competing against Jennifer Horn (R-Nashua), Jim Steiner (R-Concord) and state Sen. Bob Clegg (R-Hudson) in the Republican primary. Hodes unseated Republican U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass in 2006.