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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1731 Referred in House (RFH)]

<DOC>

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1731

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 2, 2015

             Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to waive the minimum period of 
   continuous active duty in the Armed Forces for receipt of certain 
benefits for homeless veterans, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
 Affairs to furnish such benefits to homeless veterans with discharges 
     or releases from service in the Armed Forces with other than 
            dishonorable conditions, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Homeless Veterans Services 
Protection Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. WAIVER OF MINIMUM PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS ACTIVE DUTY IN ARMED 
              FORCES FOR CERTAIN BENEFITS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Section 5303A(b)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as 
        subparagraphs (G) and (H), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new 
        subparagraph (F):
            ``(F) to benefits under section 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, or 
        2061 of this title;''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO FURNISH CERTAIN BENEFITS TO HOMELESS VETERANS 
              WITH DISCHARGES OR RELEASES UNDER OTHER THAN HONORABLE 
              CONDITIONS.

    Section 5303(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``not apply to any war-risk insurance'' and 
        inserting the following: ``not apply to the following:
            ``(1) Any war-risk insurance''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(2) Benefits under section 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, or 
        2061 of this title (except for benefits for individuals 
        discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by reason of the 
        sentence of a general court-martial).''.

SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF DEFINITION OF VETERAN FOR PURPOSES OF PROVIDING 
              CERTAIN BENEFITS TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Section 2002 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``In this chapter'' and inserting ``(a) In 
        General.--In this chapter''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Veteran Defined.--(1) Notwithstanding section 101(2) of this 
title and except as provided in paragraph (2), for purposes of sections 
2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, and 2061 of this title, the term `veteran' 
means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air 
service, regardless of length of service, and who was discharged or 
released therefrom.
    ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `veteran' excludes a 
person who--
            ``(A) received a dishonorable discharge from the Armed 
        Forces; or
            ``(B) was discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by 
        reason of the sentence of a general court-martial.''.

SEC. 5. TRAINING OF PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND 
              GRANT RECIPIENTS.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a program of 
training and education to ensure that the following persons are aware 
of and implement this Act and the amendments made by this Act:
            (1) Personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs who are 
        supporting or administering a program under chapter 20 of title 
        38, United States Code.
            (2) Recipients of grants or other amounts for purposes of 
        carrying out such a program.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR FURNISHING CARE TO 
              DEPENDENTS OF CERTAIN HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Section 2012(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4) Services for which a recipient of a grant under section 2011 
of this title (or an entity described in paragraph (1)) may receive per 
diem payments under this subsection may include furnishing care for a 
dependent of a homeless veteran who is under the care of such homeless 
veteran while such homeless veteran receives services from the grant 
recipient (or entity).''.

SEC. 7. REGULATIONS.

    Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations, 
including such modifications to section 3.12 of title 38, Code of 
Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), as the Secretary 
considers appropriate, to ensure that the Department of Veterans 
Affairs is in full compliance with this Act and the amendments made by 
this Act.

SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall apply to 
individuals seeking benefits under chapter 20 of title 38, United 
States Code, before, on, and after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

            Passed the Senate October 29, 2015.

            Attest:

                                                JULIE E. ADAMS,

                                                             Secretary.
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