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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9712 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9712

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring 
               provisions of law, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 19, 2024

 Mr. Valadao (for himself and Mr. Bost) introduced the following bill; 
   which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in 
    addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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 extend certain expiring 
               provisions of law, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``VA Extenders Act 
of 2024''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
                          TITLE I--HEALTH CARE

Sec. 101. Extension of authority for collection of copayments for 
                            hospital care and nursing home care.
Sec. 102. Extension of requirement To provide nursing home care to 
                            certain veterans with service-connected 
                            disabilities.
Sec. 103. Extension of expansion of rural access network for growth 
                            enhancement program of the Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 104. Extension of pilot program To provide veterans access to 
                            complementary and integrative health 
                            programs through animal therapy, 
                            agritherapy, sports and recreation therapy, 
                            art therapy, and posttraumatic growth 
                            programs.
Sec. 105. Extension of authority for joint Department of Defense-
                            Department of Veterans Affairs medical 
                            facility demonstration fund.
                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

Sec. 201. Extension of entitlement to memorial headstones and markers 
                            for commemoration of veterans and certain 
                            individuals.
Sec. 202. Extension of authority To bury remains of certain spouses and 
                            children in national cemeteries.
Sec. 203. Authority for use of flat grave markers at Santa Fe National 
                            Cemetery, New Mexico.
                        TITLE III--HOMELESSNESS

Sec. 301. Extension of authority To provide assistance for specially 
                            adapted housing for disabled veterans 
                            residing temporarily in housing owned by a 
                            family member.
Sec. 302. Extension of authority for specially adapted housing 
                            assistive technology grant program.
Sec. 303. Extension of authorization of appropriations for homeless 
                            women veterans and homeless veterans with 
                            children reintegration grant program.
Sec. 304. Extension of authority for treatment and rehabilitation for 
                            seriously mentally ill and homeless 
                            veterans.
Sec. 305. Extension of funding for financial assistance for supportive 
                            services for very low-income veteran 
                            families in permanent housing.
Sec. 306. Extension of funding for grant program for homeless veterans 
                            with special needs.
                      TITLE IV--OTHER AUTHORITIES

Sec. 401. Extension of authority To transport individuals to and from 
                            Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.
Sec. 402. Extension of testimonial subpoena authority of Inspector 
                            General of the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.
Sec. 403. Extension of authority To maintain regional office in the 
                            Republic of the Philippines.
Sec. 404. Extension and modification of authority for monthly 
                            assistance allowance for disabled veterans 
                            training in Paralympic and Olympic sports 
                            program.
Sec. 405. Expansion of cost estimates for congressional consideration 
                            under Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund; 
                            reporting requirements.
Sec. 406. Extension of authority for report on equitable relief 
                            provided due to administrative error.
Sec. 407. Modification of certain housing loan fees.
Sec. 408. Extension of authority for transfer of real property.
Sec. 409. Extension of requirements relating to Chief Financial Officer 
                            of the Department.

                          TITLE I--HEALTH CARE

SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR COLLECTION OF COPAYMENTS FOR 
              HOSPITAL CARE AND NURSING HOME CARE.

    Section 1710(f)(2)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 
2025''.

SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE NURSING HOME CARE TO 
              CERTAIN VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES.

    Section 1710A(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 103. EXTENSION OF EXPANSION OF RURAL ACCESS NETWORK FOR GROWTH 
              ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    Section 2(d) of the Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act 
of 2021 (Public Law 117-21; 38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended by 
striking ``2024'' and inserting ``2025''.

SEC. 104. EXTENSION OF PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS ACCESS TO 
              COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH PROGRAMS THROUGH 
              ANIMAL THERAPY, AGRITHERAPY, SPORTS AND RECREATION 
              THERAPY, ART THERAPY, AND POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH PROGRAMS.

    Section 203(d)(1) of the Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care 
Improvement Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-171; 38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is 
amended by striking ``for a three-year period beginning on the 
commencement of the pilot program'' and inserting ``until September 30, 
2025''.

SEC. 105. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR JOINT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY 
              DEMONSTRATION FUND.

    Section 1704(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84; 123 Stat. 2573), as most recently 
amended by section 104 of division E of the Continuing Appropriations 
and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-180; 
136 Stat. 2137), is amended by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF ENTITLEMENT TO MEMORIAL HEADSTONES AND MARKERS 
              FOR COMMEMORATION OF VETERANS AND CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.

    Section 2306(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``October 1, 2024'' both places it appears and inserting 
``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO BURY REMAINS OF CERTAIN SPOUSES AND 
              CHILDREN IN NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

    Section 2402(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``October 1, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 203. AUTHORITY FOR USE OF FLAT GRAVE MARKERS AT SANTA FE NATIONAL 
              CEMETERY, NEW MEXICO.

    Section 2404(c)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``; and'' and 
        inserting a period at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(F) in the case of Santa Fe National Cemetery, New 
        Mexico, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may provide flat 
        grave markers in any section of such cemetery in which flat 
        markers were in use on December 22, 2023.''.

                        TITLE III--HOMELESSNESS

SEC. 301. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIALLY 
              ADAPTED HOUSING FOR DISABLED VETERANS RESIDING 
              TEMPORARILY IN HOUSING OWNED BY A FAMILY MEMBER.

    Section 2102A(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``December 31, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING 
              ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 2108(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 303. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR HOMELESS 
              WOMEN VETERANS AND HOMELESS VETERANS WITH CHILDREN 
              REINTEGRATION GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 2021A(f)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``2024'' and inserting ``2025''.

SEC. 304. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FOR 
              SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) General Treatment.--Section 2031(b) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting 
``September 30, 2025''.
    (b) Additional Services at Certain Locations.--Section 2033(d) of 
such title is amended by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting 
``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 305. EXTENSION OF FUNDING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE 
              SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN 
              PERMANENT HOUSING.

    (a) In General.--Section 2044(e)(H) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``2024'' and inserting ``2025''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--Section 2044(e) of such title is amended 
by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (H) as paragraphs (1) 
through (8), respectively.

SEC. 306. EXTENSION OF FUNDING FOR GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS 
              WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

    Section 2061(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``2024'' and inserting ``2025''.

                      TITLE IV--OTHER AUTHORITIES

SEC. 401. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO TRANSPORT INDIVIDUALS TO AND FROM 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES.

    Section 111A(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 402. EXTENSION OF TESTIMONIAL SUBPOENA AUTHORITY OF INSPECTOR 
              GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    Section 312(d)(7)(A) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``May 31, 2025'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 403. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN REGIONAL OFFICE IN THE 
              REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES.

    Section 315(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 404. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY FOR MONTHLY 
              ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCE FOR DISABLED VETERANS TRAINING IN 
              PARALYMPIC AND OLYMPIC SPORTS PROGRAM.

    Section 322 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``the United States Olympic Committee'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``the United States Olympic 
        & Paralympic Committee'';
            (2) in subsection (a), by striking ``Veterans Benefits 
        Administration'' and inserting ``Veterans Health 
        Administration''; and
            (3) in subsection (d), by amending paragraph (4) to read as 
        follows:
    ``(4) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
subsection the following:
            ``(A) For each of fiscal years 2010 through 2023, 
        $2,000,000.
            ``(B) For each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027, 
        $2,500,000.''.

SEC. 405. EXPANSION OF COST ESTIMATES FOR CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION 
              UNDER COST OF WAR TOXIC EXPOSURES FUND; REPORTING 
              REQUIREMENTS.

    Subsection (e) of section 324 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``title 31'' and all that follows through 
        the end of the subsection and inserting: ``title 31, for the 
        applicable fiscal year--
            ``(1) detailed estimates of the sums proposed to be 
        provided pursuant to subsection (c);
            ``(2) the proposed allocations of such sums, disaggregated 
        by account and program within the Department;
            ``(3) justifications for the sums described in paragraphs 
        (1) and (2); and
            ``(4) for each account described in paragraph (2), a 
        calculation of the amount of funding requested for such account 
        over the fiscal year 2021 level;''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(g) Report.--(1) For each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030, the 
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
report that includes, with respect to the fiscal year covered by the 
report--
            ``(A) an identification, for each account within the Fund, 
        of the total amount obligated or expended by the Secretary;
            ``(B) a description of any activity, program, or project 
        carried out exclusively using sums provided pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations under subsection (c); and
            ``(C) a description of how any activity, program, or 
        project carried out using sums provided pursuant to the 
        authorization of appropriations under subsection (c) benefits 
        veterans who were exposed to environmental hazards while 
        performing active military, naval, air, or space service.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall submit each report required under 
paragraph (1) by not later than January 1 of the fiscal year beginning 
after the fiscal year covered by the report.
    ``(h) Information Provided Upon Congressional Request.--The 
Secretary shall, upon the request of the Chair, Vice Chair, or Ranking 
Member, of an appropriate congressional committee, provide to such 
appropriate congressional committee documents, records, or other 
information in the format specified by such committee, including 
testimony, with respect to any allocation, purpose, use, or activities 
of the Fund.
    ``(i) Appropriate Congressional Committee Defined.--In this 
section, the term `appropriate congressional committee' means any of 
the following:
            ``(1) The Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives.
            ``(2) The Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            ``(3) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives.
            ``(4) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.''.

SEC. 406. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR REPORT ON EQUITABLE RELIEF 
              PROVIDED DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR.

    Section 503(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in the 
second sentence, by striking ``December 31, 2024'' and inserting 
``December 31, 2025''.

SEC. 407. MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN HOUSING LOAN FEES.

    The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``November 15, 2031'' each place it 
appears and inserting ``November 29, 2031''.

SEC. 408. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER OF REAL PROPERTY.

    Section 8118(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``September 30, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2025''.

SEC. 409. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 
              OF THE DEPARTMENT.

    Section 7103 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans 
Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-315) 
is amended by striking ``for fiscal year 2022 and each of the next 
three subsequent fiscal years'' and inserting ``for each of fiscal 
years 2026 through 2029''.
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