S. 2172 (117th Congress) — To improve grants, payments, and technical assistance to serve homeless veterans
Summary
S. 2172 is a Senate bill introduced June 22, 2021 by Tester to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve grants, payments, and technical assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to serve homeless veterans, and for other purposes. It was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The bill has a short title and table of contents in Section 1, and the table of contents begins with a section on adjustments of grants awarded by the Secretary.
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“S. 2172 (117th Congress) — To improve grants, payments, and technical assistance to serve homeless veterans.”
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II
117TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 2172
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve grants, payments, and
technical assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
serve homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JUNE 22, 2021
Mr. TESTER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve grants,
payments, and technical assistance provided by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to serve homeless veterans,
and for other purposes.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
5 ‘‘Building Solutions for Veterans Experiencing Homeless-
6 ness Act of 2021’’.
7 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
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8 this Act is as follows:
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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Adjustments of grants awarded by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for
comprehensive service programs to serve homeless veterans.
Sec. 3. Increase in maximum rates of per diem payments provided by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs for services furnished to homeless
veterans.
Sec. 4. Technical assistance provided by Secretary of Veterans Affairs to cer-
tain grant recipients.
Sec. 5. Report and action on shallow subsidy program under the Supportive
Services for Veteran Families program.
Sec. 6. Housing and health care navigators grant program.
Sec. 7. Grant program for substance use and alcohol use disorder recovery for
homeless veterans.
Sec. 8. Increase and extension of authorization of appropriations for homeless
veterans reintegration programs.
Sec. 9. Pilot program on grants to improve public transportation services for
veterans.
Sec. 10. Pilot program on grants for care for elderly homeless veterans.
Sec. 11. Report by Comptroller General of the United States on affordable
housing for veterans.
1 SEC. 2. ADJUSTMENTS OF GRANTS AWARDED BY THE SEC-
2 RETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR COM-
3 PREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS TO SERVE
4 HOMELESS VETERANS.
5 (a) ELIMINATION OF MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—
6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 2011(c) of title 38,
7 United States Codes, is amended—
8 (A) by striking paragraph (2); and
9 (B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as
10 paragraph (2).
11 (2) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made
12 by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to any
13 grant awarded under section 2011 of title 38,
14 United States Code, on or after the date of the en-
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15 actment of this Act.
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1 (3) SUNSET.—Section 4201(b)(2) of the John-
2 ny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health
3 Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public
4 Law 116–315; 134 Stat. 5009; 38 U.S.C. 2011
5 note) is amended—
6 (A) by striking ‘‘Subsection (c)(2)’’ and in-
7 serting the following:
8 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c)(2)’’;
9 and
10 (B) by adding at the end the following new
11 subparagraph:
12 ‘‘(B) SUNSET.—Subparagraph (A) shall
13 cease to be effective on the date of the enact-
14 ment of the Building Solutions for Veterans
15 Experiencing Homelessness Act of 2021.’’.
16 (b) ELIMINATION OF PROPERTY DISPOSITION RE-
17 QUIREMENTS.—
18 (1) IN GENERAL.—A recipient of a grant
19 awarded under section 2011 of title 38, United
20 States Code, on or after the date of the enactment
21 of this Act for a project described in subsection
22 (b)(1) of such section shall not be subject to any
23 property disposition requirements relating to the
24 grant under subsection (c) or (f) of section 61.67 of
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25 title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, section
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1 200.311(c) of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations,
2 or successor regulations.
3 (2) SUNSET.—Section 4201(b)(6) of the John-
4 ny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health
5 Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public
6 Law 116–315; 134 Stat. 5010; 38 U.S.C. 2011
7 note) is amended—
8 (A) by striking ‘‘During’’ and inserting the
9 following:
10 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—During’’; and
11 (B) by adding at the end the following new
12 subparagraph:
13 ‘‘(B) SUNSET.—Subparagraph (A) shall
14 cease to be effective on the date of the enact-
15 ment of the Building Solutions for Veterans
16 Experiencing Homelessness Act of 2021.’’.
17 SEC. 3. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM RATES OF PER DIEM PAY-
18 MENTS PROVIDED BY THE SECRETARY OF
19 VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR SERVICES FUR-
20 NISHED TO HOMELESS VETERANS.
21 Section 2012(a)(2)(B) of title 38, United States
22 Code, is amended—
23 (1) in clause (i)(II)(aa)(BB), by striking ‘‘115’’
24 and inserting ‘‘200’’; and
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1 (2) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘150’’ and insert-
2 ing ‘‘200’’.
3 SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY SECRETARY
4 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO CERTAIN GRANT
5 RECIPIENTS.
6 (a) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME
7 FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING.—Section 2044(e) of
8 title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking para-
9 graph (2) and inserting the following new paragraph (2):
10 ‘‘(2) Not less than two percent of the amounts avail-
11 able under paragraph (1) in any fiscal year may be avail-
12 able to provide technical assistance under subsection (d).’’.
13 (b) COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS.—Section
14 2011 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by add-
15 ing at the end the following new subsection:
16 ‘‘(i) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—(1)
17 The Secretary shall provide training and technical assist-
18 ance to each recipient of a grant under this section regard-
19 ing the planning, development, and provision of services
20 for which the grant is made.
21 ‘‘(2) The Secretary may provide the training and
22 technical assistance described in paragraph (1) directly or
23 through grants or contracts with such public or nonprofit
24 private entities as the Secretary considers appropriate.
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1 ‘‘(3) Not less than two percent of amounts designated
2 for the administration of grants under this section in any
3 fiscal year shall be used to provide training and technical
4 assistance under this subsection.’’.
5 SEC. 5. REPORT AND ACTION ON SHALLOW SUBSIDY PRO-
6 GRAM UNDER THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
7 FOR VETERAN FAMILIES PROGRAM.
8 (a) REPORT REQUIRED.—
9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year
10 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
11 retary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Com-
12 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
13 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of
14 Representatives a report on program for providing
15 rental subsidies under section 62.34(a)(8) of title
16 38, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor
17 regulation) (in this section referred to as the ‘‘pro-
18 gram’’).
19 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
20 graph (1) shall include the following:
21 (A) The number of veterans and families
22 served under the program during the 1-year pe-
23 riod preceding the date of the enactment of this
24 Act, disaggregated, if such information is avail-
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25 able, by—
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1 (i) race and ethnicity;
2 (ii) gender;
3 (iii) geographic location; and
4 (iv) age.
5 (B) A description of support provided to
6 special populations under the program, includ-
7 ing elderly veterans, women veterans, children
8 of veterans, disabled veterans, veterans
9 transitioning from certain institutions, and mi-
10 nority veterans.
11 (C) A description of the decision-making
12 process of the Department of Veterans Affairs
13 regarding which locations would be eligible for
14 coverage under the program.
15 (D) An assessment of whether increasing
16 the payment rate under the program is nec-
17 essary.
18 (E) An assessment of whether it is feasible
19 and beneficial to expand the program nation-
20 ally.
21 (F) An assessment of the efficacy of the
22 increased payments provided under the program
23 based on increases in number of veterans served
24 and number of veterans transitioned into per-
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25 manent housing.
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1 (b) INCREASE IN PAYMENT RATE.—If the assess-
2 ment described in subsection (a)(2)(D) finds that increas-
3 ing the payment rate under the program is necessary, the
4 Secretary shall issue such regulations as may be necessary
5 to increase such rate.
6 (c) EXPANSION OF PROGRAM.—If the assessment de-
7 scribed in subsection (a)(2)(E) finds that it is feasible and
8 beneficial to expand the program nationally, the Secretary
9 shall so expand the program not later than two years after
10 date on which the report required by subsection (a)(1) is
11 submitted.
12 SEC. 6. HOUSING AND HEALTH CARE NAVIGATORS GRANT
13 PROGRAM.
14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 20 of
15 title 38, United States Code, is amended—
16 (1) by redesignating section 2014 as section
17 2015; and
18 (2) by inserting after section 2013 the following
19 new section 2014:
20 ‘‘§ 2014. Housing and health care navigators grant
21 program
22 ‘‘(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall es-
23 tablish and carry out a program under which the Sec-
24 retary shall provide services to assist veterans with navi-
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1 gating housing and health care resources in order to im-
2 prove the retention of housing by and overall health of—
3 ‘‘(1) veterans who were previously homeless and
4 are transitioning to permanent housing; and
5 ‘‘(2) veterans who are at risk of becoming
6 homeless.
7 ‘‘(b) GRANTS.—(1) The Secretary shall carry out the
8 program established under subsection (a) through the
9 award of grants.
10 ‘‘(2) In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the
11 Secretary shall give priority to organizations that dem-
12 onstrate the capability to provide services described in
13 subsection (a), particularly organizations that are success-
14 fully providing or have successfully provided transitional
15 housing services using amounts provided by the Secretary
16 under sections 2012 and 2061 of this title.
17 ‘‘(c) STAFFING.—In areas where individuals who
18 meet the licensure and certification requirements to pro-
19 vide services described in subsection (a) are in high de-
20 mand as determined by the Secretary, a grantee under the
21 program may provide such services through one or more
22 individuals with a master’s degree in social work who are
23 undergoing training to meet such requirements, if such in-
24 dividuals are under the supervision of an individual who
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25 meets such requirements.
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1 ‘‘(d) SERVICES.—Services provided under this section
2 shall include services to assist veterans with navigating re-
3 sources provided by the Federal Government and State,
4 local, and Tribal governments.
5 ‘‘(e) REPORT ON SERVICES PROVIDED.—The Sec-
6 retary shall require each recipient of a grant awarded
7 under subsection (b)(1) to submit to the Secretary a re-
8 port that describes the services provided or coordinated
9 with amounts under such grant.’’.
10 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 20013(a)
11 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
12 (38 U.S.C. 2011 note) is amended by striking ‘‘2014’’ and
13 inserting ‘‘2015’’.
14 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
15 at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended
16 by striking the item relating to section 2014 and inserting
17 the following new items:
‘‘2014. Housing and health care navigators grant program.
‘‘2015. Authorization of appropriations.’’.
18 SEC. 7. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SUBSTANCE USE AND ALCO-
19 HOL USE DISORDER RECOVERY FOR HOME-
20 LESS VETERANS.
21 (a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than 180
22 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
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23 retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying out a
24 pilot program under which the Secretary shall award
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1 grants to eligible entities for the provision or coordination
2 of services for recovery from substance use disorder or al-
3 cohol use disorder for veterans who were previously home-
4 less and are transitioning to permanent housing and vet-
5 erans who are at risk of becoming homeless.
6 (b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the
7 pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the
8 date of the commencement of the pilot program.
9 (c) AWARD OF GRANTS.—
10 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot
11 program, the Secretary shall award a grant to an el-
12 igible entity for each veteran with substance use dis-
13 order or alcohol use disorder participating in the
14 pilot program for which the eligible entity is pro-
15 viding or coordinating the provision of recovery serv-
16 ices for substance use disorder or alcohol use dis-
17 order, as the case may be, under the pilot program.
18 (2) INTERVALS OF PAYMENT AND MAXIMUM
19 AMOUNTS.—The Secretary may establish intervals of
20 payment for the administration of grants under this
21 section and a maximum amount to be awarded, in
22 accordance with the services being provided and the
23 duration of such services.
24 (3) PREFERENCE.—In awarding grants under
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25 paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to
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1 eligible entities providing or coordinating the provi-
2 sion of recovery services for substance use disorder
3 or alcohol use disorder for veterans with substance-
4 use dependency who face barriers in accessing sub-
5 stance-use recovery services from the Department of
6 Veterans Affairs.
7 (4) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary
8 shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, grant
9 amounts awarded under paragraph (1) are equitably
10 distributed across geographic regions, including
11 rural and Tribal communities.
12 (5) NOTIFICATION OF SOURCE OF AMOUNTS.—
13 Each eligible entity awarded a grant under para-
14 graph (1) shall notify each veteran receiving services
15 paid for with amounts under such grant that such
16 services are being paid for, in whole or in part, by
17 the Department.
18 (6) REPORT ON SERVICES PROVIDED.—The
19 Secretary shall require each eligible entity awarded
20 a grant under paragraph (1) to submit to the Sec-
21 retary a report that describes the services provided
22 or coordinated with amounts under such grant.
23 (d) GRANT APPLICATION.—
24 (1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity seeking
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25 the award of a grant under this section shall submit
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1 to the Secretary an application therefor in such
2 form, in such manner, and containing such commit-
3 ments and information as the Secretary considers
4 necessary to carry out this section.
5 (2) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—Each appli-
6 cation submitted by an eligible entity under para-
7 graph (1) shall contain the following:
8 (A) A description of the recovery services
9 for substance use disorder or alcohol use dis-
10 order proposed to be provided by the eligible en-
11 tity under the pilot program and the identified
12 need for those services.
13 (B) A description of the types of veterans
14 with substance use disorder or alcohol use dis-
15 order proposed to be provided such recovery
16 services.
17 (C) An estimate of the number of veterans
18 with substance use disorder or alcohol use dis-
19 order proposed to be provided such recovery
20 services.
21 (D) Evidence of the experience of the eligi-
22 ble entity in providing such recovery services to
23 veterans with substance use disorder or alcohol
24 use disorder.
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1 (E) A description of the managerial capac-
2 ity of the eligible entity—
3 (i) to assess continually the needs of
4 veterans with substance use disorder or al-
5 cohol use disorder for such recovery serv-
6 ices;
7 (ii) to coordinate the provision of such
8 recovery services with services provided by
9 the Department; and
10 (iii) to tailor such recovery services to
11 the needs of veterans with substance use
12 disorder or alcohol use disorder.
13 (3) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.—
14 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall es-
15 tablish criteria for the selection of eligible enti-
16 ties to be awarded grants under this section.
17 (B) ELEMENTS.—Criteria established
18 under subparagraph (A) with respect to an eli-
19 gible entity shall include the following:
20 (i) Relevant accreditation as may be
21 required by each State in which the eligible
22 entity operates.
23 (ii) Experience coordinating care or
24 providing treatment for veterans or mem-
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25 bers of the Armed Forces.
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1 (e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—
2 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide
3 training and technical assistance to eligible entities
4 awarded grants under this section regarding the
5 planning, development, and provision of recovery
6 services for substance use disorder or alcohol use
7 disorder under this section.
8 (2) PROVISION OF TRAINING.—The Secretary
9 may provide the training required under paragraph
10 (1) directly or through grants or contracts with such
11 public or nonprofit private entities as the Secretary
12 considers appropriate for purposes of this section,
13 including through grants awarded under section
14 2064 of title 38, United States Code.
15 (f) COLLECTION OF INFORMATION.—To the extent
16 practicable, the Secretary may collect information from an
17 eligible entity awarded a grant under this section relating
18 to a substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder of a
19 veteran participating in the pilot program for inclusion in
20 the electronic health record of the Department for such
21 veteran for the sole purpose of improving care provided
22 to such veteran.
23 (g) STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF PILOT PRO-
24 GRAM.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct
2 a study on the effectiveness of the pilot program in
3 meeting the needs of veterans with substance use
4 disorder or alcohol use disorder.
5 (2) COMPARISON.—In conducting the study re-
6 quired by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall com-
7 pare the results of the pilot program with other pro-
8 grams of the Department dedicated to the delivery
9 to veterans of recovery services for substance use
10 disorder or alcohol use disorder.
11 (3) CRITERIA.—In making the comparison re-
12 quired by paragraph (2), the Secretary shall examine
13 the following:
14 (A) The satisfaction of veterans targeted
15 by the programs described in paragraph (2).
16 (B) The health status of such veterans.
17 (C) The mental wellness of such veterans.
18 (D) The degree to which such programs
19 encourage such veterans to engage in produc-
20 tive activity.
21 (E) The number of veterans using such
22 programs, disaggregated by—
23 (i) veterans who have received care
24 from the Department during the two-year
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1 period preceding the conduct of the study;
2 and
3 (ii) veterans who have not received
4 care from the Department during such pe-
5 riod.
6 (F) The number of veterans who are still
7 homeless or at-risk of homelessness one year
8 after completion of receipt of recovery services
9 under such programs.
10 (G) The number of veterans who still have
11 a substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder
12 within 180 days of discharge from receipt of
13 services provided under this section.
14 (4) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the
15 commencement of the pilot program, and annually
16 thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
17 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
18 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of
19 Representatives a report on the results of the study
20 required by paragraph (1).
21 (h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
22 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
23 ty’’ means any of the following:
24 (A) An incorporated private institution or
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25 foundation—
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1 (i) no part of the net earnings of
2 which inures to the benefit of any member,
3 founder, contributor, or individual;
4 (ii) that has a governing board that is
5 responsible for the operation of the recov-
6 ery services for substance use disorder or
7 alcohol use disorder provided under this
8 section; and
9 (iii) that is approved by the Secretary
10 with respect to financial responsibility.
11 (B) A for-profit limited partnership, the
12 sole general partner of which is an organization
13 meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A).
14 (C) A corporation wholly owned and con-
15 trolled by an organization meeting the require-
16 ments of subparagraph (A).
17 (D) A tribally designated housing entity
18 (as defined in section 4 of the Native American
19 Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act
20 of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103)).
21 (2) SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OR ALCOHOL
22 USE DISORDER.—The term ‘‘substance use disorder
23 or alcohol use disorder’’, with respect to a veteran,
24 means the veteran has been diagnosed with, or is
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1 seeking treatment for, substance use disorder or al-
2 cohol use disorder, as determined by the Secretary.
3 SEC. 8. INCREASE AND EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF
4 APPROPRIATIONS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
5 REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS.
6 Section 2021(e)(1)(F) of title 38, United States
7 Code, is amended—
8 (1) by striking ‘‘$50,000,000’’ and inserting
9 ‘‘$75,000,000’’; and
10 (2) by striking ‘‘2022’’ and inserting ‘‘2025’’.
11 SEC. 9. PILOT PROGRAM ON GRANTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
12 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR VETERANS.
13 (a) GRANT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than
14 one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
15 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying out
16 a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability
17 of awarding grants to eligible entities to improve public
18 transportation services for veterans.
19 (b) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the
20 pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the
21 date on which the pilot program commences.
22 (c) AWARD OF GRANTS.—
23 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot
24 program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible
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1 portation services that provide veterans access to lo-
2 cations of facilities or organizations that serve vet-
3 erans, including—
4 (A) facilities of the Department of Vet-
5 erans Affairs; and
6 (B) organizations that provide services to
7 veterans using funds provided by the Depart-
8 ment.
9 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this
10 section, an eligible entity is any State, Tribal, coun-
11 ty, or city government that—
12 (A) is providing public transportation serv-
13 ices as of the date on which the pilot program
14 commences; or
15 (B) has a proven ability and intention to
16 establish public transportation infrastructure.
17 (3) INTERVALS OF PAYMENT AND MAXIMUM
18 GRANT AMOUNT.—The Secretary may establish in-
19 tervals of payment for the administration of grants
20 under this section and a maximum grant amount to
21 be awarded, in accordance with the services being
22 provided and the duration of such services.
23 (4) COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION.—In
24 awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
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1 may coordinate and consult with the Secretary of
2 Transportation.
3 (5) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary
4 of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that, to the extent
5 practicable, grants awarded under this section are
6 equitably distributed across geographic regions, in-
7 cluding rural and Tribal communities.
8 (d) GRANT APPLICATION.—
9 (1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity seeking
10 the award of a grant under this section shall submit
11 to the Secretary an application therefor in such
12 form, in such manner, and containing such commit-
13 ments and information as the Secretary considers
14 necessary to carry out this section.
15 (2) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.—Each appli-
16 cation submitted by an eligible entity under para-
17 graph (1) shall contain the following:
18 (A) A description of the public transpor-
19 tation services that the entity intends to provide
20 under the grant.
21 (B) A list of all sites accessed by the pub-
22 lic transportation services to be provided.
23 (C) The schedule of such services.
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1 (D) A list of the locations of facilities and
2 organizations that serve veterans that will be
3 accessed by such services.
4 (E) An estimate of the number of veterans
5 that would use such services.
6 (F) Evidence of the ability of the entity to
7 provide such services.
8 (e) NOTIFICATION TO VETERANS.—Each eligible en-
9 tity awarded a grant under this section shall notify vet-
10 erans of the expansion or establishment of public transpor-
11 tation services to locations of facilities or organizations
12 that serve veterans and that those services are available
13 in whole or in part due to funds provided by the Depart-
14 ment.
15 (f) REPORT ON SERVICES PROVIDED.—The Sec-
16 retary shall require each eligible entity awarded a grant
17 under this section to submit to the Secretary a report that
18 describes the expansion, retention, or establishment of
19 public transportation services provided with amounts
20 under such grant.
21 (g) REPORT.—
22 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year
23 after the date on which the first grant is awarded
24 under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the
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1 the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of
2 Representatives a report on the services provided
3 under the pilot program.
4 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
5 graph (1) shall include the following:
6 (A) The geographic location of each recipi-
7 ent of a grant under this section.
8 (B) The estimated number of veterans
9 served by each such grant recipient.
10 (C) An assessment of whether use of facili-
11 ties of the Department has increased due to ac-
12 cess to public transportation provided under
13 grants awarded under this section, if informa-
14 tion for such an assessment is available.
15 SEC. 10. PILOT PROGRAM ON GRANTS FOR CARE FOR EL-
16 DERLY HOMELESS VETERANS.
17 (a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than one
18 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
19 retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence carrying out a
20 pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of
21 awarding grants to eligible entities to meet the health care
22 needs of elderly veterans who were previously homeless
23 and are transitioning to permanent housing.
24 (b) AWARD OF GRANTS.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot
2 program, the Secretary shall award grants to eligible
3 entities for the purpose described in subsection (a).
4 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this
5 section, an eligible entity is any organization that is
6 successfully providing transitional housing services
7 using amounts provided by the Secretary under sec-
8 tions 2012 and 2061 of title 38, United States Code,
9 as of the date on which the entity applies for a grant
10 under this section.
11 (3) INTERVALS OF PAYMENT AND MAXIMUM
12 GRANT AMOUNT.—The Secretary may establish in-
13 tervals of payment for the administration of grants
14 under this section and a maximum grant amount to
15 be awarded, in accordance with the services being
16 provided by staff hired using grant amounts and the
17 duration of such services.
18 (4) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—The Secretary
19 shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, grant
20 amounts awarded under paragraph (1) are equitably
21 distributed across geographic regions, including
22 rural and Tribal communities.
23 (c) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—The recipient of a
24 grant under the pilot program—
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1 (1) shall use grant amounts for the hiring of
2 nursing staff to care for elderly veterans requiring
3 assistance with activities of daily living who were
4 previously homeless and are transitioning to perma-
5 nent housing; and
6 (2) may use such amounts for supplies and in-
7 frastructure needs associated with the duties of such
8 staff.
9 (d) REPORT ON SERVICES PROVIDED.—The Sec-
10 retary shall require each eligible entity awarded a grant
11 under this section to submit to the Secretary a report that
12 describes the services provided or coordinated with
13 amounts under such grant.
14 (e) DURATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the
15 pilot program during the five-year period beginning on the
16 date on which the pilot program commences.
17 (f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—
18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days
19 after the date on which the pilot program com-
20 mences, and annually thereafter until the program
21 terminates, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
22 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
23 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of
24 Representatives a report on the effectiveness of the
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1 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
2 graph (1) shall include the number of veterans
3 served by the pilot program under the care of a staff
4 member the funding for whom is provided by a
5 grant under the program, disaggregated by—
6 (A) geographic location;
7 (B) gender;
8 (C) age;
9 (D) race and ethnicity;
10 (E) whether or not a veteran received care
11 from the Department during the two-year pe-
12 riod preceding the date on which the veteran
13 began participating in the program;
14 (F) the number of veterans who
15 transitioned into permanent housing as a result
16 of participation in the program; and
17 (G) with respect to veterans who did not
18 transition into permanent housing as a result of
19 participation in the program, the main reasons
20 for not so transitioning.
21 SEC. 11. REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE
22 UNITED STATES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING
23 FOR VETERANS.
24 (a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than two years
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1 troller General of the United States shall submit to the
2 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
3 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
4 resentatives a report on the availability of affordable hous-
5 ing for veterans who have or are participating in any pro-
6 gram administered by the Homeless Programs Office of
7 the Department of Veterans Affairs.
8 (b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection
9 (a) shall include, with respect to the one-year period pre-
10 ceding the date of the enactment of this Act, the following:
11 (1) The number of veterans using housing
12 vouchers under the program carried out under sec-
13 tion 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of
14 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) (commonly referred
15 to as ‘‘HUD–VASH’’).
16 (2) The number of veterans who were allocated
17 a housing voucher described in paragraph (1) but
18 who have been unable to attain permanent housing.
19 (3) The number of available housing vouchers
20 described in paragraph (1) that are unused.
21 (4) The number of veterans who were dis-
22 charged from transitional housing provided using
23 amounts provided under sections 2061 and 2012 of
24 title 38, United States Code, and did not transition
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1 (A) case managers under the program de-
2 scribed in paragraph (1);
3 (B) housing vouchers described in such
4 paragraph; or
5 (C) housing that meets the requirements
6 and limitations with respect to such vouchers.
7 (c) DISAGGREGATION.—The contents of the report
8 described in subsection (b) shall be disaggregated by hous-
9 ing serving individuals and families with a household in-
10 come that does not exceed—
11 (1) the area median income;
12 (2) 80 percent of the area median income;
13 (3) 50 percent of the area median income; and
14 (4) 30 percent of the area median income.
Æ
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