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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3309 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3309

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the assistance 
 provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to homeless veterans, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 18, 2012

  Mrs. Murray introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the assistance 
 provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to homeless veterans, 
                        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 ``Homeless Veterans 
Assistance Improvement Act of 2012''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Requirement that recipients of grants from Department of 
                            Veterans Affairs for comprehensive service 
                            programs for homeless veterans meet 
                            physical privacy, safety, and security 
                            needs of such veterans.
Sec. 3. Modification of authority of Department of Veterans Affairs to 
                            provide capital improvement grants for 
                            comprehensive service programs that assist 
                            homeless veterans.
Sec. 4. Funding for furnishing legal services to very low-income 
                            veteran families in permanent housing.
Sec. 5. Modifications to requirements relating to per diem payments for 
                            services furnished to homeless veterans.
Sec. 6. Authorization of grants by Department of Veterans Affairs to 
                            centers that provide services to homeless 
                            veterans for operational expenses.
Sec. 7. Expansion of Department of Veterans Affairs authority to 
                            provide dental care to homeless veterans.
Sec. 8. Extensions of authorities and programs affecting homeless 
                            veterans.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT THAT RECIPIENTS OF GRANTS FROM DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR 
              HOMELESS VETERANS MEET PHYSICAL PRIVACY, SAFETY, AND 
              SECURITY NEEDS OF SUCH VETERANS.

    Section 2011(f) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(6) To meet the physical privacy, safety, and security 
        needs of homeless veterans receiving services through the 
        project.''.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO 
              PROVIDE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS FOR COMPREHENSIVE 
              SERVICE PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Section 2011(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in the 
matter before paragraph (1), by inserting ``and maintaining'' after 
``in establishing''.

SEC. 4. FUNDING FOR FURNISHING LEGAL SERVICES TO VERY LOW-INCOME 
              VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING.

    Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
        (3) and (4), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph (2):
    ``(2) Of amounts made available under paragraph (1), not less than 
one percent shall be available for the furnishing of services described 
in subsection (b)(1)(D)(vii).''.

SEC. 5. MODIFICATIONS TO REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR 
              SERVICES FURNISHED TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) 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).''.
    (b) Provision of Funds for Per Diem Payments for Nonconforming 
Entities.--
            (1) In general.--Section 2012(d)(1) of such title is 
        amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``may make'' and inserting ``shall make''.
            (2) Regulations required.--Not later than one year after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
        necessary to implement the amendment made by paragraph (1).

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO 
              CENTERS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS FOR 
              OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 20 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2012 the following 
new section:
``Sec. 2012A. Service center operational grants
    ``(a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations 
provided for such purpose, the Secretary may award to a recipient of a 
grant under section 2011 of this title for the establishment of a 
service center described in subsection (g) of such section a grant for 
the operational expenses of such service center not otherwise covered 
by the receipt of per diem payments under section 2012 of this section.
    ``(b) Limitation.--The aggregate amount of all grants awarded under 
subsection (a) in any fiscal year may not exceed $500,000.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
2012 the following new item:

``2012A. Service center operational grants.''.
    (c) Regulations.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
promulgate regulations to carry out section 2012A of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a), not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7. EXPANSION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AUTHORITY TO 
              PROVIDE DENTAL CARE TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Subsection (b) of section 2062 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Eligible Veterans.--(1) Subsection (a) applies to a veteran 
who--
            ``(A) is enrolled for care under section 1705(a) of this 
        title; and
            ``(B) for a period of 60 consecutive days, is receiving--
                    ``(i) assistance under section 8(o) of the United 
                States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)); or
                    ``(ii) care (directly or by contract) in any of the 
                following settings:
                            ``(I) A domiciliary under section 1710 of 
                        this title.
                            ``(II) A therapeutic residence under 
                        section 2032 of this title.
                            ``(III) Community residential care 
                        coordinated by the Secretary under section 1730 
                        of this title.
                            ``(IV) A setting for which the Secretary 
                        provides funds for a grant and per diem 
                        provider.
    ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), in determining whether a 
veteran has received assistance or care for a period of 60 consecutive 
days, the Secretary may disregard breaks in the continuity of 
assistance or care for which the veteran is not responsible.''.

SEC. 8. EXTENSIONS OF AUTHORITIES AND PROGRAMS AFFECTING HOMELESS 
              VETERANS.

    (a) Comprehensive Service Programs.--Section 2013 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by striking paragraph (5) and inserting 
the following new paragraphs:
            ``(5) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
            ``(6) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and each subsequent 
        fiscal year.''.
    (b) Homeless Veterans Reintegration Programs.--Section 
2021(e)(1)(F) of such title is amended by striking ``2012'' and 
inserting ``2013''.
    (c) Outreach, Care, Treatment, Rehabilitation, and Therapeutic 
Transitional Housing for Veterans Suffering From Serious Mental 
Illness.--Section 2031(b) of such title is amended by striking 
``December 31, 2012'' and inserting ``December 31, 2014''.
    (d) Program To Expand and Improve Provision of Benefits and 
Services by Department of Veterans Affairs to Homeless Veterans.--
Section 2033(d) of such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 
2012'' and inserting ``December 31, 2014''.
    (e) Housing Assistance for Homeless Veterans.--Section 2041(c) of 
such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 2012'' and inserting 
``December 31, 2013''.
    (f) Financial Assistance for Supportive Services for Very Low-
Income Veteran Families in Permanent Housing.--Section 2044(e)(1) of 
such title is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph:
            ``(E) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.''.
    (g) Grant Program for Homeless Veterans With Special Needs.--
Section 2061(c)(1) of such title is amended by striking ``through 
2012'' and inserting ``through 2015''.
    (h) Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.--Section 2066(d) of 
such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 2012'' and inserting 
``December 31, 2014''.
                                 <all>
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