II 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2960 

To provide for rental assistance for homeless or at-risk Indian veterans. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2014 

Mr. TESTER (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. UDALL of New 

Mexico, Mr. FRANKEN, and Ms. MURKOWSKI) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs 

A BILL 

To provide for rental assistance for homeless or at-risk 

Indian veterans. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR HOMELESS OR AT4 RISK INDIAN VETERANS. 

5 Section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act 

6 of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) is amended by adding 

7 at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘(D) INDIAN VETERANS HOUSING RENTAL

9 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— 

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1 ‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this subpara2 graph: 

3 ‘‘(I) INDIAN.—The term ‘Indian’ 

4 has the meaning given the term in 

5 section 4 of the Indian Self-Deter6 mination and Education Assistance 

7 Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 

8 ‘‘(II) INDIAN AREA.—The term 

9 ‘Indian area’ has the meaning given 

10 the term in section 4 of the Native 

11 American Housing Assistance and 

12 Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 

13 U.S.C. 4103). 

14 ‘‘(III) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.— 

15 The term ‘tribal organization’ has the 

16 meaning given the term in section 4 

17 of the Indian Self-Determination and 

18 Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 

19 450b). 

20 ‘‘(ii) AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAM.— 

21 The Secretary may use not more than 5 

22 percent of the amounts made available for 

23 rental assistance under this subsection to 

24 carry out a rental assistance and sup25 portive housing program, in conjunction 

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1 with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, for 

2 the benefit of Indian veterans who are 

3 homeless or at-risk of homelessness and 

4 who are residing on or near an Indian 

5 area. 

6 ‘‘(iii) MODEL.—The program de7 scribed in clause (ii) shall be modeled on 

8 the rental assistance and supportive hous9 ing program authorized under this section 

10 and applicable appropriations Acts, includ11 ing administration in conjunction with the 

12 Secretary of Veterans Affairs, except that 

13 the Secretary may make necessary and ap14 propriate modifications to facilitate the use 

15 of the program by Indian grant recipients 

16 to serve eligible Indian veterans. 

17 ‘‘(iv) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.— 

18 Amounts for rental assistance and associ19 ated administrative costs under clause (ii) 

20 shall be made available to recipients eligi21 ble to receive grants under section 101 of 

22 the Native American Housing Assistance 

23 and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 

24 U.S.C. 4111). 

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1 ‘‘(v) FUNDING CRITERIA.—Rental as2 sistance under clause (ii) shall be awarded 

3 based on— 

4 ‘‘(I) need; 

5 ‘‘(II) administrative capacity; and 

6 ‘‘(III) any other funding criteria 

7 established by the Secretary in a no8 tice published in the Federal Register 

9 after consulting with the Secretary of 

10 Veterans Affairs. 

11 ‘‘(vi) ADMINISTRATION.—Rental as12 sistance made available under clause (ii) 

13 shall be administered in accordance with 

14 the Native American Housing Assistance 

15 and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 

16 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.), except that grantees 

17 shall— 

18 ‘‘(I) submit to the Secretary, in a 

19 manner prescribed by the Secretary, 

20 reports on the utilization of rental as21 sistance provided under the program; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(II) provide to the Secretary in24 formation specified by the Secretary 

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1 to assess the effectiveness of the pro2 gram in serving eligible veterans. 

3 ‘‘(vii) CONSULTATION.—The Sec4 retary, in coordination with the Secretary 

5 of Veterans Affairs, shall consult with re6 cipients of grants under section 101 of the 

7 Native American Housing Assistance and 

8 Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 

9 4111) and any other appropriate tribal or10 ganization on the design of the program to 

11 ensure the effective delivery of rental as12 sistance and supportive services to persons 

13 eligible to receive assistance under this 

14 subparagraph. 

15 ‘‘(viii) WAIVER.— 

16 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Except as 

17 provided in subclause (II), the Sec18 retary may waive or specify alter19 native requirements for any provision 

20 of law (including regulations) that the 

21 Secretary administers in connection 

22 with the use of rental assistance made 

23 available under this subparagraph if 

24 the Secretary finds that the waiver or 

25 alternative requirement is necessary 

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1 for the effective delivery and adminis2 tration of rental assistance made 

3 available under this subparagraph to 

4 Indian veterans. 

5 ‘‘(II) EXCEPTION.—The Sec6 retary shall not waive or specify alter7 native requirements under subclause 

8 (I) for any provision of law (including 

9 regulations) relating to labor stand10 ards or the environment.’’. 

Æ 

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