29–006 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 113–126 

FORMERLY OWNED RESOURCES FOR VETERANS TO 

EXPRESS THANKS FOR SERVICE ACT OF 2013 

JUNE 25, 2013.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. ISSA, from the Committee on Oversight and Government 

Reform, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1171] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 1171) to amend title 40, United States 

Code, to improve veterans’ service organizations access to Federal 

surplus personal property, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 

do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Committee Statement and Views ........................................................................... 2 

Section-by-Section .................................................................................................... 2 

Explanation of Amendments ................................................................................... 2 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 2 

Application of Law to the Legislative Branch ....................................................... 2 

Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee ...... 3 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 3 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 3 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 3 

Federal Advisory Committee Act ............................................................................ 3 

Unfunded Mandate Statement ............................................................................... 3 

Earmark Identification ............................................................................................ 3 

Committee Estimate ................................................................................................ 3 

Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .................... 4 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill as Reported ...................................... 5 


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COMMITTEE STATEMENT AND VIEWS

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 1171, the Formerly Owned Resources for Veterans to Express Thanks for Service Act of 2013 (FOR VETS), permits veterans’ service organizations to obtain surplus federal personal property to provide services to our Nation’s veterans. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

When federal agencies no longer need personal property such as 

office supplies, furniture and motor vehicles, the items are eligible 

to be donated to private agencies that serve the public. 

Current law stipulates that veterans’ service organizations can 

only receive personal property for a narrow set of services; veterans’ service organizations, however, provide a broad range of 

services. H.R. 1171 would make our nation’s veterans’ service organizations eligible to receive property to utilize for the full breadth 

of services that they provide. 

Our nation’s veterans deserve high-quality services from our public and private institutions, and H.R. 1171 is a small step in providing this essential support. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

In 2010, S. 3794 became public law, allowing veterans’ service organizations to receive personal property for public health and educational purposes. Also made eligible were medical institutions, 

homeless service providers, and child care centers, among others. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION

Section 1. Short title 

This is the short title of the bill ‘‘Formerly Owned Resources for 

Veterans to Express Thanks for Service Act of 2013’’ or the ‘‘FOR 

VETS Act of 2013.’’ 

Section 2. Veterans access to Federal excess and surplus personal 

property 

This section permits veterans’ service organizations to obtain 

surplus personal property to provide services to veterans. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

No amendments to H.R. 1171 were offered. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On May 22, 2013, the Committee met in open session and ordered reported favorably the bill, H.R. 1171, by voice vote, a 

quorum being present. 

APPLICATION OF LAW TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104–1 requires a description of 

the application of this bill to the legislative branch where the bill 

relates to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services and accommodations. This bill permits veterans’ service 


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organizations to obtain surplus federal personal property to provide 

services to our Nation’s veterans. Legislative branch employees and 

their families, to the extent that they are otherwise eligible for the 

benefits provided by this legislation, have equal access to its benefits. 

STATEMENT OF OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF

THE COMMITTEE

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause (2)(b)(1) 

of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 

descriptive portions of this report. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee’s performance goals and 

objectives are reflected in the descriptive portions of this report. 

DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

No provision of H.R. 1171 establishes or reauthorizes a program 

of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a program that was included in any report from the 

Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 

21 of Public Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. 

DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

The Committee estimates that enacting H.R. 1171 does not direct 

the completion of any specific rule makings within the meaning of 

5 U.S.C. 551. 

FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT

The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish or 

authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within the 

definition of 5 U.S.C. App., Section 5(b). 

UNFUNDED MANDATE STATEMENT

Section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (as amended by Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded Mandate 

Reform Act, P.L. 104–4) requires a statement as to whether the 

provisions of the reported bill include unfunded mandates. In compliance with this requirement the Committee has received a letter 

from the Congressional Budget Office included herein. 

EARMARK IDENTIFICATION

H.R. 1171 does not include any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule 

XXI. 

COMMITTEE ESTIMATE

Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the ComVerDate Mar 15 2010 05:31 Jun 26, 2013 Jkt 029006 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR126.XXX HR126

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mittee of the costs that would be incurred in carrying out H.R. 

1171. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has included in its 

report a timely submitted cost estimate of the bill prepared by the 

Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of 

the Congressional Budget Act. 

BUDGET AUTHORITY AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST

ESTIMATE

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 308(a) of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect to requirements 

of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 

1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate for 

H.R. 1171 from the Director of Congressional Budget Office: 

JUNE 5, 2013. 

Hon. DARRELL ISSA, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1171, the FOR VETS Act 

of 2013. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew Pickford. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS W. ELMENDORF. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 1171—FOR VETS Act of 2013 

H.R. 1171 would amend federal law regarding the disposal of federal personal property (including items such as furniture, office 

supplies, and construction equipment). Under current law, veterans 

organizations involved in education or health programs can obtain 

personal property through the Federal Surplus Personal Property 

Donation Program at no cost; other organizations must pay for 

such property. The legislation would expand eligibility to allow any 

organization that primarily supports veterans to receive donations 

free of charge. 

Based on information from the General Services Administration 

(GSA) about the current donation program, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would have no significant impact on the 

federal budget. Enacting H.R. 1171 would reduce offsetting receipts 

(a credit against direct spending); therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any such losses of offsetting receipts that might result from donating personal property 

to additional veterans organizations would not be significant in any 

year because GSA already offers many organizations the opportunity to receive surplus personal property. Enacting the bill would 

not affect revenues. 

H.R. 1171 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 


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The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The 

estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 

existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

TITLE 40, UNITED STATES CODE 

* * * * * * * 

SUBTITLE I—FEDERAL PROPERTY AND 

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 

* * * * * * * 

CHAPTER 5—PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 

* * * * * * * 

SUBCHAPTER III—DISPOSING OF PROPERTY 

* * * * * * * 

§ 549. Donation of personal property through state agencies 

(a) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(c) ALLOCATION AND TRANSFER OF PROPERTY.— 

(1) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(3) RECIPIENTS AND PURPOSES.—The Administrator shall 

transfer to a state agency property the state agency selects for 

distribution through donation within the State— 

(A) to a public agency for use in carrying out or promoting, for residents of a given political area, a public purpose, including conservation, economic development, education, parks and recreation, public health, and public 

safety; øor¿ 

(B) for purposes of education or public health (including 

research), to a nonprofit educational or public health institution or organization that is exempt from taxation under 

section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 

U.S.C. 501), including— 

(i) * * * 

* * * * * * * 

(viii) a library serving free all residents of a community, district, State, or region; or 

* * * * * * * 

ø(x) an organization whose— 


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ø(I) membership comprises substantially veterans (as defined under section 101 of title 38); 

and 

ø(II) representatives are recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 5902 of 

title 38.¿ 

(C) for purposes of providing services to veterans (as defined in section 101 of title 38), to an organization whose— 

(i) membership comprises substantially veterans; and 

(ii) representatives are recognized by the Secretary of 

Veterans Affairs under section 5902 of title 38. 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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