113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1742 

AN ACT 

To exclude from consideration as income under the United 

States Housing Act of 1937 payments of pension made 

under section 1521 of title 38, United States Code, to 

veterans who are in need of regular aid and attendance, 

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, 
2 

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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vulnerable Veterans 

3 Housing Reform Act of 2013’’. 

4 SEC. 2. EXCLUSION FROM INCOME. 

5 Paragraph (4) of section 3(b) of the United States 

6 Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(4)) is amend7 ed— 

8 (1) by striking ‘‘and any amounts’’ and insert9 ing ‘‘, any amounts’’; 

10 (2) by striking ‘‘or any deferred’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘, any deferred’’; and 

12 (3) by inserting after ‘‘prospective monthly 

13 amounts’’ the following: ‘‘, and any expenses related 

14 to aid and attendance as detailed under section 1521 

15 of title 38, United States Code’’. 

16 SEC. 3. UTILITY ALLOWANCES AND DATA. 

17 Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 

18 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended— 

19 (1) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the 

20 following new subparagraph: 

21 ‘‘(D) UTILITY ALLOWANCE.— 

22 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In determining 

23 the monthly assistance payment for a fam24 ily under subparagraphs (A) and (B), the 

25 amount allowed for tenant-paid utilities 

26 shall not exceed the appropriate utility al-
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1 lowance for the family unit size as deter2 mined by the public housing agency re3 gardless of the size of the dwelling unit 

4 leased by the family. 

5 ‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN FAMI6 LIES.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 

7 upon request by a family that includes a 

8 person with disabilities, an elderly family, 

9 or a family that includes any person who 

10 is less than 18 years of age, the public 

11 housing agency shall approve a utility al12 lowance that is higher than the applicable 

13 amount on the utility allowance schedule, 

14 except that in the case of a family that in15 cludes a person with disabilities, the agen16 cy shall approve such higher amount only 

17 if a higher utility allowance is needed as a 

18 reasonable accommodation to make the 

19 program accessible to and usable by the 

20 family member with a disability.’’; and 

21 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

22 paragraph: 

23 ‘‘(21) UTILITY DATA.— 

24 ‘‘(A) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall, 

25 to the extent that data can be collected cost ef-
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1 fectively, regularly publish such data regarding 

2 utility consumption and costs in local areas as 

3 the Secretary determines will be useful for the 

4 establishment of allowances for tenant-paid util5 ities for families assisted under this subsection. 

6 ‘‘(B) USE OF DATA.—The Secretary shall 

7 provide such data in a manner that— 

8 ‘‘(i) avoids unnecessary administrative 

9 burdens for public housing agencies and 

10 owners; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) protects families in various unit 

12 sizes and building types, and using various 

13 utilities, from high rent and utility cost 

14 burdens relative to income.’’. 

Passed the House of Representatives October 28, 

2013. 

Attest: 

Clerk. 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1742 

AN ACT 

To exclude from consideration as income under the 

poses. of regular aid and attendance, and for other purUnited States Code, to veterans who are in need pension made under section 1521 of title 38, United States Housing Act of 1937 payments of