To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law and to expand eligibility for the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program.

Summary: Amends federal veterans' benefits provisions to extend through 2007: (1) the authority for health care provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) due to prior participation in Department of Defense (DOD) chemical and biological warfare testing; (2) certain grants and per diem assistance for homeless veterans; (3) VA treatment and rehabilitation and additional services for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans; (4) the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans; and (5) VA authority to reimburse the next of kin of a deceased veteran for the placement of a government marker at a burial site in a private cemetery.

Extends through June 30, 2007, VA authority for an additional educational assistance allowance for work-study performed by veterans.

Expands eligibility for educational assistance under the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program to include the spouse or child of a member of the Armed Forces who has a total permanent disability incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING PROVISIONS OF LAW ADMINISTERED 
              BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Authority for Health Care for Participation in DOD Chemical and 
Biological Warfare Testing.--Section 1710(e)(3)(D) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``December 31, 2005'' and inserting 
``December 31, 2007''.
    (b) Grant and Per Diem Grant Assistance for Homeless Veterans.--
Section 2011(a)(2) of such title is amended by striking ``September 30, 
2005'' and inserting ``September 30, 2007''.
    (c) Treatment and Rehabilitation for Seriously Mentally Ill and 
Homeless Veterans.--Section 2031(b) of such title is amended by 
striking ``December 31, 2006'' and inserting ``December 31, 2007''.
    (d) Additional Services for Homeless and Seriously Mentally Ill 
Veterans.--Section 2033(d) of such title is amended by striking 
``December 31, 2006'' and inserting ``December 31, 2007''.
    (e) Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.--Section 2066(d) of 
such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 2006'' and inserting 
``December 31, 2007''.
    (f) Government Markers in Private Cemeteries.--Section 2306(d)(3) 
of such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 2006'' and 
inserting ``December 31, 2007''.
    (g) Additional Educational Assistance Allowance for Work-Study.--
Section 3485(a)(4) of such title is amended in subparagraphs (A), (C), 
and (F) by striking ``December 27, 2006'' and inserting ``June 30, 
2007''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR SURVIVORS' AND DEPENDENTS' 
              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Expansion of Eligibility.--Section 3501(a)(1) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (A) 
        and inserting a semicolon;
            (2) by striking the comma at the end of subparagraph (B) 
        and inserting a semicolon;
            (3) by striking ``, or'' at the end of subparagraph (C) and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (4) by striking the comma at the end of subparagraph (D) 
        and inserting ``; or''; and
            (5) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new 
        subparagraph:
            ``(E) the spouse or child of a person who at the time of 
        application by such spouse or child for educational assistance 
        under this chapter is a member of the Armed Forces who, as 
        determined by the Secretary, has a total disability permanent 
        in nature incurred or aggravated in the active military, naval, 
        or air service;''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Such title is further amended--
            (1) in section 3511--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(1)--
                            (i) by striking ``Each eligible person'' 
                        and inserting the following: ``Each eligible 
                        person, whether made eligible by one or more of 
                        the provisions of section 3501(a)(1) of this 
                        title,'';
                            (ii) by striking ``a period'' and inserting 
                        ``an aggregate period''; and
                            (iii) by striking the second sentence;
                    (B) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``section 
                3501(a)(1)(D)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (D) or (E) 
                of section 3501(a)(1)''; and
                    (C) in subsection (c), by striking ``or 
                3501(a)(1)(D)(i)'' and inserting ``3501(a)(1)(D)(i), or 
                3501(a)(1)(E)'';
            (2) in section 3512--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``an eligible 
                person (within the meaning of section 3501(a)(1)(A) of 
                this title)'' and inserting ``an eligible person whose 
                eligibility is based on the death or disability of a 
                parent'';
                    (B) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1)(A)--
                                    (I) by inserting after ``section 
                                3501(a)(1) of this title'' the 
                                following: ``or a person made eligible 
                                by the disability of a spouse under 
                                section 3501(a)(1)(E) of this title'';
                                    (II) by striking ``or 
                                3501(a)(1)(D)(ii) of this title'' and 
                                inserting ``3501(a)(1)(D)(ii), or 
                                3501(a)(1)(E) of this title'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (1)(B), by adding at the 
                        end the following new clause:
            ``(iii) The date on which the Secretary notifies the member 
        of the Armed Forces from whom eligibility is derived that the 
        member has a total disability permanent in nature incurred or 
        aggravated in the active military, naval, or air service.''; 
        and
                            (iii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``or 
                        (D) of this title'' and inserting ``(D), or (E) 
                        of this title'';
            (3) in section 3540, by striking ``and (D)'' and inserting 
        ``(D), and (E)'';
            (4) in section 3563, by striking ``each eligible person 
        defined in section 3501(a)(1)(A) of this title'' and inserting 
        the following: ``each eligible person whose eligibility is 
        based on the death or disability of a parent'';
            (5) in section 3686(a)(1), by striking ``or (D)'' and 
        inserting ``(D), or (E)''; and
            (6) in section 5113(b)(3)(B), by striking ``or (D)'' and 
        inserting ``(D), or (E)''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to a payment of educational assistance for a course 
of education pursued after the date of the enactment of this Act.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 14, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.