WASHINGTON -- The House passed a bill to provide free child care for veterans at VA medical centers and clinics. 

The Veterans' Access to Child Care Act is a bipartisan legislation for veterans receiving treatment to have dependable, cost-free child care option when they use VA health care. 

The bill included an amendment iintroduced by Congressman Anthony Brindisi clarifies that Community Based Outpatient Clinics are included under the bill to ensure rural vets have access to the child care assistance, 

There are three in the 22nd Congressional District -- one in Bainbridge, Binghamton and Rome. 

Brindisi and Rep. Jared Golden also added an amendment that requires the VA to report on child care access and eligibility challenges for vets who live in rural or highly rural areas. That population contains about 50 percent of the district's veterans. 

“Veterans should never have to miss a doctor’s appointment because they don’t have affordable or reliable child care,” said Brindisi in a statement. “The Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act is a commonsense solution that removes this roadblock and ensures our nation’s veterans have access to the care they’ve earned, no matter where they live.

The rural population contains about 50 percent of the district's veterans.