I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2518

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consolidation and 

improvement of programs to assist homeless veterans, to provide for 

management by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of the Military Personnel Records facility of the National Personnel Records Center in 

St. Louis, Missouri, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 19, 2003

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 

on Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by 

the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consolidation and improvement of programs to assist homeless veterans, to provide for management by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of the Military Personnel 

Records facility of the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Affairs Reor3 ganization Act of 2003’’. 

4 SEC. 2. OFFICE IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO 

5 MANAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR HOME6 LESS VETERANS. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—Chapter 3 of title 

8 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 

9 the following new section: 

10 ‘‘§ 320. Office of Homeless Veterans Assistance Pro11 grams 

12 ‘‘(a) There is in the Department an Office of Home13 less Veterans Assistance Programs. There is at the head 

14 of the Office a Director. 

15 ‘‘(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided by law 

16 or by the Secretary, the Secretary shall carry out through 

17 the Director all functions of the Secretary under chapter 

18 20 of this title and under any other program of the De19 partment for the provision of assistance to homeless vet20 erans. 

21 ‘‘(c) As part of the annual report on assistance to 

22 homeless veterans required under section 2065 of this title 

23 for years beginning with 2004, the Secretary shall include 

24 a description of any function referred to in subsection (b) 

25 that the Secretary has determined (during the year in-
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1 volved) to carry out other than through the Director, and 

2 the rationale for that determination.’’. 

3 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

4 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 

5 at the end the following new item:

‘‘320. Office of Homeless Veterans Assistance Programs.’’.

6 SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF HOMELESS VETERAN REINTEGRA7 TION PROGRAM FROM DEPARTMENT OF 

8 LABOR TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF9 FAIRS. 

10 (a) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the 

11 Secretary of Labor under section 2021 of title 38, United 

12 States Code, are hereby transferred to the Secretary of 

13 Veterans Affairs. 

14 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 2021 of 

15 title 38, United States Code, is amended—

16 (1) by striking ‘‘of Labor’’ each place it appears 

17 in subsection (a), (b), and (d); 

18 (2) by striking ‘‘that Secretary’’ in subsection 

19 (b)(1) and inserting ‘‘the Secretary’’; and 

20 (3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 

21 following: 

22 ‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall carry 

23 out this section through the Office of Homeless Veterans 

24 Assistance Programs.’’. 
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1 SEC. 4. TRANSFER OF OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR 

2 MILITARY PERSONNEL RECORDS FACILITY 

3 OF NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CEN4 TER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Archivist of the United 

6 States shall transfer operational responsibility (including 

7 the management and supervision of the delivery of serv8 ices) for the Military Personnel Records facility of the Na9 tional Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, Missouri, to 

10 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

11 (b) MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.—The Archivist 

12 and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a 

13 memorandum of agreement as to the manner in which 

14 subsection (a) shall be carried out. 

15 (c) IMPLEMENTATION.—The memorandum of agree16 ment under subsection (b) shall be entered into not later 

17 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

18 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The transfer required by 

19 subsection (a) shall be carried out as soon as practicable 

20 after the date of the enactment of this Act.

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