1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural Veterans Travel Enhancement Act of 2017 . 2. Treatment of Vet Centers as Department of Veterans Affairs facilities for purposes of payments or allowances for beneficiary travel (a) In general Section 111 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (h) (1) Vet Centers shall be treated as Department facilities for purposes of providing payment of actual expenses of travel or allowance for travel to or from a Department facility under this section. (2) In this subsection, the term Vet Center means a center for readjustment counseling and related mental health services for veterans under section 1712A of this title. . (b) Applicability Section 111(h) of such title, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to travel occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3. Making permanent authority for Secretary of Veterans Affairs to transport individuals to and from facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs Section 111A(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking paragraph (2); and (2) in paragraph (1), by striking (1) . 4. Reauthorization of grants for veterans service organizations for transportation of highly rural veterans Section 307(d) of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–163 ; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended by striking through 2017 and inserting through 2020 . 5. Medical examination protocol for volunteer drivers participating in program of transportation services for veterans Section 111A(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting (1) before The Secretary