HR 2559 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 2559CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

July 15, 2011CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. DEUTCH (for himself, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. RICHARDSON, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. REYES, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, and Mr. ROONEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ AffairsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

TITLE I--HOMELESS VETERANS MATTERSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 101. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Helping Homeless Heroes Act of 2011’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 102. ENHANCEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS.

(a) Enhancement of Grants- Section 2011 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by striking ‘expansion, remodeling, or alteration of existing facilities, or acquisition of facilities,’ and inserting ‘new construction of facilities, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of existing facilities, or acquisition of facilities’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in subsection (c)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘A grant’ and inserting ‘(1) A grant’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), as designated by subparagraph (A), by striking ‘The amount’ and inserting the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) The amount’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3)(A) The Secretary may not deny an application from an entity that seeks a grant under this section to carry out a project described in subsection (b)(1)(A) solely on the basis that the entity proposes to use funding from other private or public sources, if the entity demonstrates that a private nonprofit organization will provide oversight and site control for the project.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) In this paragraph, the term ‘private nonprofit organization’ means the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) An incorporated private institution, organization, or foundation--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) that has received, or has temporary clearance to receive, tax-exempt status under paragraph (2), (3), or (19) of section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) for which no part of the net earnings of the institution, organization, or foundation inures to the benefit of any member, founder, or contributor of the institution, organization, or foundation; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(III) that the Secretary determines is financially responsible.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) A for-profit limited partnership or limited liability company, the sole general partner or manager of which is an organization that is described by subclauses (I) through (III) of clause (i).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) A corporation wholly owned and controlled by an organization that is described by subclauses (I) through (III) of clause (i).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Grant and Per Diem Payments-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) STUDY AND DEVELOPMENT OF FISCAL CONTROLS AND PAYMENT METHOD- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) complete a study of all matters relating to the method used by the Secretary to make per diem payments under section 2012(a) of title 38, United States Code; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) develop an improved method for adequately reimbursing recipients of grants under section 2011 of such title for services furnished to homeless veterans.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) CONSIDERATION- In developing the method required by paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary may consider payments and grants received by recipients of grants described in such paragraph from other departments and agencies of Federal and local governments and from private entities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) REPORT- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the findings of the Secretary with respect to the study required by subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the method developed under subparagraph (B) of such paragraph; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) any recommendations of the Secretary for revising the method described in subparagraph (A) of such paragraph and any legislative action the Secretary considers necessary to implement such method.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Authorization of Appropriations- Section 2013 of such title is amended by striking ‘subchapter’ and all that follows through the period and inserting the following: ‘subchapter amounts as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) $175,100,000 for fiscal year 2010.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) $217,700,000 for fiscal year 2011.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2013 and each fiscal year thereafter.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 103. MODIFICATION OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

(a) Inclusion of Entities Eligible for Comprehensive Service Program Grants and Per Diem Payments for Services to Homeless Veterans- Subsection (a) of section 2061 of such title is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) by striking ‘to grant and per diem providers’ and inserting ‘to entities eligible for grants and per diem payments under sections 2011 and 2012 of this title’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by striking ‘by those facilities and providers’ and inserting ‘by those facilities and entities’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Inclusion of Male Homeless Veterans With Minor Dependents- Subsection (b) of such section is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘, including women who have care of minor dependents’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘or’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘; or’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) individuals who have care of minor dependents.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Authorization of Provision of Services to Dependents- Such section is further amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c):CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Provision of Services to Dependents- A recipient of a grant under subsection (a) may use amounts under the grant to provide services directly to a dependent of a homeless veteran with special needs who is under the care of such homeless veteran while such homeless veteran receives services from the grant recipient under this section.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 104. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY FOR PROVISION OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION TO CERTAIN VETERANS TO INCLUDE PROVISION OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION TO HOMELESS VETERANS WHO ARE NOT SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL.

Section 2031(a) of such title is amended in the matter before paragraph (1) by striking ‘, including’ and inserting ‘and to’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 105. PLAN TO END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS.

(a) In General- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to end homelessness among veterans.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Elements- The plan required by subsection (a) shall include the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) An analysis of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs and other departments and agencies of the Federal Government that are designed to prevent homelessness among veterans and assist veterans who are homeless.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) An evaluation of whether and how coordination between the programs described in paragraph (1) would contribute to ending homelessness among veterans.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) Recommendations for improving the programs described in paragraph (1), enhancing coordination between such programs, or eliminating programs that are no longer effective.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) Recommendations for new programs to prevent and end homelessness among veterans, including an estimate of the cost of such programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) A timeline for implementing the plan, including milestones to track the implementation of the plan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) Benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of the plan and the efforts of the Secretary to implement the plan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) Such other matters as the Secretary considers necessary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Consideration of Veterans Located in Rural Areas- The analysis, evaluation, and recommendations included in the report required by subsection (a) shall include consideration of the circumstances and requirements that are unique to veterans located in rural areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 106. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITIES RELATING TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

(a) Health Care for Homeless Veterans- Section 2031(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘December 31, 2011’ and inserting ‘December 31, 2012’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Centers for Provision of Comprehensive Services to Homeless Veterans- Section 2033(d) of such title is amended by striking ‘December 31, 2011’ and inserting ‘December 31, 2014’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Property Transfers for Housing Assistance for Homeless Veterans- Section 2041(c) of such title is amended by striking ‘December 31, 2011’ and inserting ‘December 31, 2014’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans- Section 2066(d) of such title is amended by striking ‘December 30, 2011’ and inserting ‘December 30, 2013’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 107. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAM.

Section 2021(e)(1) of such title is amended adding at the end the following new subparagraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(G) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 108. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING.

(a) In General- Section 2044(e) of such title is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘2011’ and inserting ‘2012’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Technical Amendment- Paragraph (1) of such subsection is further amended by striking ‘carry out subsection (a), (b), and (c)’ and inserting ‘carry out subsections (a), (b), and (c)’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 109. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

Section 2061(c)(1) of such title is amended by striking ‘2011’ and inserting ‘2013’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink