II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1707 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 14, 2013 

Mr. HELLER (for himself and Ms. HEITKAMP) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

A BILL 

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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

5 Housing Reform Act’’. 


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•S 1707 IS

1 SEC. 2. EXCLUSION FROM INCOME. 

2 Section 3(b)(4) of the United States Housing Act of 

3 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(4)) is amended— 

4 (1) by striking ‘‘and any amounts’’ and insert5 ing ‘‘, any amounts’’; 

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

7 ‘‘, any deferred’’; and 

8 (3) by inserting after ‘‘prospective monthly 

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

10 to aid and attendance as detailed under section 1521 

11 of title 38, United States Code’’. 

12 SEC. 3. UTILITY ALLOWANCES AND DATA. 

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

14 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended— 

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

16 following new subparagraph: 

17 ‘‘(D) UTILITY ALLOWANCE.— 

18 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In determining 

19 the monthly assistance payment for a fam20 ily under subparagraphs (A) and (B), the 

21 amount allowed for tenant-paid utilities 

22 shall not exceed the appropriate utility al23 lowance for the family unit size as deter24 mined by the public housing agency re25 gardless of the size of the dwelling unit 

26 leased by the family. 


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•S 1707 IS

1 ‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN FAMI2 LIES.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 

3 upon request by a family that includes a 

4 person with disabilities, an elderly family, 

5 or a family that includes any person who 

6 is less than 18 years of age, the public 

7 housing agency shall approve a utility al8 lowance that is higher than the applicable 

9 amount on the utility allowance schedule, 

10 except that in the case of a family that in11 cludes a person with disabilities, the agen12 cy shall approve such higher amount only 

13 if a higher utility allowance is needed as a 

14 reasonable accommodation to make the 

15 program accessible to and usable by the 

16 family member with a disability.’’; and 

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

18 paragraph: 

19 ‘‘(21) UTILITY DATA.— 

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

21 to the extent that data can be collected cost ef22 fectively, regularly publish such data regarding 

23 utility consumption and costs in local areas as 

24 the Secretary determines will be useful for the 


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•S 1707 IS

1 establishment of allowances for tenant-paid util2 ities for families assisted under this subsection. 

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

4 provide such data in a manner that— 

5 ‘‘(i) avoids unnecessary administrative 

6 burdens for public housing agencies and 

7 owners; and 

8 ‘‘(ii) protects families in various unit 

9 sizes and building types, and using various 

10 utilities, from high rent and utility cost 

11 burdens relative to income.’’. 

Æ 


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