II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2022 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for improvements to 

the specially adapted housing program of the Department of Veterans 

Affairs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 27, 2019 

Mr. MORAN (for himself and Ms. SINEMA) 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 provide for improvements to the specially adapted housing program 

of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 ‘‘Paul Benne Specially 

5 Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

•S 2022 IS

1 SEC. 2. PRIORITY IN AWARD OF SPECIALLY ADAPTED 

2 HOUSING GRANTS TO SERIOUSLY ILL VET3 ERANS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2101 of title 38, United 

5 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol6 lowing new subsection: 

7 ‘‘(d) PRIORITY FOR SERIOUSLY ILL VETERANS.—(1) 

8 In providing assistance under this section, the Secretary 

9 shall give priority to seriously ill veterans. 

10 ‘‘(2) In this section, the term ‘seriously ill veteran’ 

11 shall have the meaning given such term by the Sec12 retary.’’. 

13 (b) DEFINITION OF SERIOUSLY ILL VETERAN.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—By not later than 90 days 

15 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec16 retary of Veterans Affairs shall— 

17 (A) determine the meaning of the term 

18 ‘‘seriously ill veteran’’ for purposes of sub19 section (d) of section 2101 of title 38, United 

20 States Code, as added by subsection (a); and 

21 (B) submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 

22 Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

23 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representa24 tives the meaning of such term as so deter25 mined. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

•S 2022 IS

1 (2) APPLICABILITY.—The definition of ‘‘seri2 ously ill veteran’’ as determined under paragraph (1) 

3 shall apply for purposes of such subsection (d) be4 ginning on the date that is 30 days after the date 

5 on which the Secretary submits to the Committees 

6 on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of 

7 Representatives the definition of such term as so de8 termined. 

9 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

10 subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2020, and 

11 apply with respect to assistance provided on or after that 

12 date. 

13 SEC. 3. INCREASE IN AMOUNTS OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. 

14 (a) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF GRANTS PER VET15 ERAN.—Section 2102(d)(3) of title 38, United States 

16 Code, is amended by striking ‘‘three’’ and inserting ‘‘six’’. 

17 (b) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AU18 THORIZED TO BE APPROVED.—Section 2101(a)(4) of 

19 such title is amended by striking ‘‘30 applications’’ and 

20 inserting ‘‘120 applications’’. 

21 (c) INCREASE IN MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE

22 FOR ADAPTATION TO VETERAN’S RESIDENCE.—Section 

23 2102(b)(2) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘$12,000’’ 

24 and inserting ‘‘$19,733’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

•S 2022 IS

1 (d) INCREASE IN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ASSIST2 ANCE FOR ACQUISITION OF HOUSING WITH SPECIAL

3 FEATURES.—Section 2102(d)(1) of such title is amended 

4 by striking ‘‘$63,780’’ and inserting ‘‘$98,492’’. 

5 (e) INCREASE IN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF ASSIST6 ANCE FOR ADAPTATIONS TO VETERANS’ RESIDENCES.— 

7 Section 2102(d)(2) of such title is amended by striking 

8 ‘‘$12,756’’ and inserting ‘‘$19,733’’. 

9 (f) EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICATION.—The 

10 amendments made by this section shall take effect on Oc11 tober 1, 2020. The amendments made by subsections (c) 

12 and (d) shall apply with respect to individuals who have 

13 not received the maximum amount of assistance under 

14 section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, before such 

15 date. 

16 SEC. 4. PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OF SPE17 CIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR 

18 CERTAIN VETERANS. 

19 Section 2102 of such title is amended by adding at 

20 the end the following new subsection: 

21 ‘‘(f)(1) Notwithstanding the aggregate amounts spec22 ified in subsection (d), a covered veteran may apply for 

23 and receive an additional amount of assistance under sub24 section (a) or (b) of section 2101 of this title in an amount 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
5 

•S 2022 IS

1 that does not exceed half of the amount specified in sub2 section (d). 

3 ‘‘(2) In this subsection, a covered veteran is a veteran 

4 who— 

5 ‘‘(A) is described in section 2101(a)(2) of this 

6 title; 

7 ‘‘(B) first receives assistance under this chapter 

8 on or after October 1, 2020; 

9 ‘‘(C) as of the date of the veteran’s application 

10 for assistance under paragraph (1), most recently 

11 received assistance under this chapter more than ten 

12 years before such date; and 

13 ‘‘(D) lives in a home that the Secretary deter14 mines does not have adaptations that are reasonably 

15 necessary because of the veteran’s disability.’’. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS