II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 684 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of services 

for homeless veterans, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 10, 2015 

Mr. BURR (for himself and Mr. MANCHIN) 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 

provision of services for homeless veterans, 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 ‘‘Homeless Veterans 

5 Prevention Act of 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. INCREASED PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR TRANSI2 TIONAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE THAT BE3 COMES PERMANENT HOUSING FOR HOME4 LESS VETERANS. 

5 Section 2012(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, 

6 is amended— 

7 (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) 

8 through (D) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), re9 spectively; 

10 (2) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated, by 

11 striking ‘‘in subparagraph (D)’’ and inserting ‘‘in 

12 subparagraph (E)’’; 

13 (3) in subparagraph (D), as redesignated, by 

14 striking ‘‘under subparagraph (B)’’ and inserting 

15 ‘‘under subparagraph (C)’’; 

16 (4) in subparagraph (E), as redesignated, by 

17 striking ‘‘in subparagraphs (B) and (C)’’ and insert18 ing ‘‘in subparagraphs (C) and (D)’’; and 

19 (5) in subparagraph (A)— 

20 (A) by striking ‘‘The rate’’ and inserting 

21 ‘‘Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph 

22 (B), the rate’’; and 

23 (B) by striking ‘‘under subparagraph (B)’’ 

24 and all that follows through the end and insert25 ing the following: ‘‘under subparagraph (C). 


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1 ‘‘(B)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), in no case 

2 may the rate determined under this paragraph exceed the 

3 rate authorized for State homes for domiciliary care under 

4 subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 of this title, as the 

5 Secretary may increase from time to time under sub6 section (c) of that section. 

7 ‘‘(ii) In the case of services furnished to a homeless 

8 veteran who is placed in housing that will become perma9 nent housing for the veteran upon termination of the fur10 nishing of such services to such veteran, the maximum 

11 rate of per diem authorized under this section is 150 per12 cent of the rate described in clause (i).’’. 

13 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR 

14 FURNISHING CARE TO DEPENDENTS OF CER15 TAIN HOMELESS VETERANS. 

16 Subsection (a) of section 2012 of title 38, United 

17 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol18 lowing new paragraph: 

19 ‘‘(4) Services for which a recipient of a grant under 

20 section 2011 of this title (or an entity described in para21 graph (1)) may receive per diem payments under this sub22 section may include furnishing care for a dependent of a 

23 homeless veteran who is under the care of such homeless 

24 veteran while such homeless veteran receives services from 

25 the grant recipient (or entity).’’. 


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1 SEC. 4. PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTI2 TIES TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO 

3 HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT 

4 RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 20 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2022 

7 the following new section: 

8 ‘‘§ 2022A. Partnerships with public and private enti9 ties to provide legal services to homeless 

10 veterans and veterans at risk of home11 lessness 

12 ‘‘(a) PARTNERSHIPS AUTHORIZED.—Subject to the 

13 availability of funds for that purpose, the Secretary may 

14 enter into partnerships with public or private entities to 

15 fund a portion of the general legal services specified in 

16 subsection (c) that are provided by such entities to home17 less veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness. 

18 ‘‘(b) LOCATIONS.—The Secretary shall ensure that, 

19 to the extent practicable, partnerships under this section 

20 are made with entities equitably distributed across the ge21 ographic regions of the United States, including rural 

22 communities and tribal lands. 

23 ‘‘(c) LEGAL SERVICES.—Legal services specified in 

24 this subsection include legal services provided by public 

25 or private entities that address the needs of homeless vet26 erans and veterans at risk of homelessness as follows: 


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1 ‘‘(1) Legal services related to housing, including 

2 eviction defense and representation in landlord-ten3 ant cases. 

4 ‘‘(2) Legal services related to family law, in5 cluding assistance in court proceedings for child sup6 port, divorce, and estate planning. 

7 ‘‘(3) Legal services related to income support, 

8 including assistance in obtaining public benefits. 

9 ‘‘(4) Legal services related to criminal defense, 

10 including defense in matters symptomatic of home11 lessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, and 

12 driver’s license revocation, to reduce recidivism and 

13 facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in em14 ployment or housing. 

15 ‘‘(d) CONSULTATION.—In developing and carrying 

16 out partnerships under this section, the Secretary shall, 

17 to the extent practicable, consult with public and private 

18 entities— 

19 ‘‘(1) for assistance in identifying and contacting 

20 organizations described in subsection (c); and 

21 ‘‘(2) to coordinate appropriate outreach rela22 tionships with such organizations. 

23 ‘‘(e) REPORTS.—The Secretary may require entities 

24 that have entered into partnerships under this section to 

25 submit to the Secretary periodic reports on legal services 


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1 provided to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of 

2 homelessness pursuant to such partnerships.’’. 

3 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

4 at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended 

5 by adding after the item relating to section 2022 the fol6 lowing new item: 

‘‘2022A. Partnerships with public and private entities to provide legal services 

to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness.’’. 

7 SEC. 5. EXPANSION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF8 FAIRS AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE DENTAL 

9 CARE TO HOMELESS VETERANS. 

10 Subsection (b) of section 2062 of title 38, United 

11 States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

12 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE VETERANS.—(1) Subsection (a) ap13 plies to a veteran who— 

14 ‘‘(A) is enrolled for care under section 1705(a) 

15 of this title; and 

16 ‘‘(B) for a period of 60 consecutive days, is re17 ceiving— 

18 ‘‘(i) assistance under section 8(o) of the 

19 United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 

20 1437f(o)); or 

21 ‘‘(ii) care (directly or by contract) in any 

22 of the following settings: 

23 ‘‘(I) A domiciliary under section 1710 

24 of this title. 


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1 ‘‘(II) A therapeutic residence under 

2 section 2032 of this title. 

3 ‘‘(III) Community residential care co4 ordinated by the Secretary under section 

5 1730 of this title. 

6 ‘‘(IV) A setting for which the Sec7 retary provides funds for a grant and per 

8 diem provider. 

9 ‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), in determining 

10 whether a veteran has received assistance or care for a 

11 period of 60 consecutive days, the Secretary may disregard 

12 breaks in the continuity of assistance or care for which 

13 the veteran is not responsible.’’. 

14 SEC. 6. REPEAL OF SUNSET ON AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT 

15 PROGRAM OF REFERRAL AND COUNSELING 

16 SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT RISK FOR 

17 HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE TRANSITIONING 

18 FROM CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS. 

19 Section 2023 of title 38, United States Code, is 

20 amended— 

21 (1) by striking subsection (d); and 

22 (2) by redesignating subsection (e) as sub23 section (d). 


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1 SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR FINANCIAL ASSIST2 ANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY 

3 LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN PERMA4 NENT HOUSING. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (1) of section 2044(e) 

6 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at 

7 the end the following new subparagraph (F): 

8 ‘‘(F) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.’’. 

9 (b) TRAINING ENTITIES FOR PROVISION OF SUP10 PORTIVE SERVICES.—Paragraph (3) of such section is 

11 amended by inserting ‘‘and 2015’’ after ‘‘through 2012’’. 

12 SEC. 8. REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

13 AFFAIRS TO ASSESS COMPREHENSIVE SERV14 ICE PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

16 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet17 erans Affairs shall assess and measure the capacity of pro18 grams for which entities receive grants under section 2011 

19 of title 38, United States Code, or per diem payments 

20 under section 2012 or 2061 of such title. 

21 (b) ASSESSMENT AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEV22 ELS.—In assessing and measuring under subsection (a), 

23 the Secretary shall develop and use tools to examine the 

24 capacity of programs described in such subsection at both 

25 the national and local level in order to assess the following: 


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1 (1) Whether sufficient capacity exists to meet 

2 the needs of homeless veterans in each geographic 

3 area. 

4 (2) Whether existing capacity meets the needs 

5 of the subpopulations of homeless veterans located in 

6 each geographic area. 

7 (3) The amount of capacity that recipients of 

8 grants under sections 2011 and 2061 and per diem 

9 payments under section 2012 of such title have to 

10 provide services for which the recipients are eligible 

11 to receive per diem under section 2012(a)(2)(B)(ii) 

12 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 

13 3(5)(B). 

14 (c) USE OF INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall use 

15 the information collected under this section as follows: 

16 (1) To set specific goals to ensure that pro17 grams described in subsection (a) are effectively 

18 serving the needs of homeless veterans. 

19 (2) To assess whether programs described in 

20 subsection (a) are meeting goals set under para21 graph (1). 

22 (3) To inform funding allocations for programs 

23 described in subsection (a). 

24 (4) To improve the referral of homeless vet25 erans to programs described in subsection (a). 


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1 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

2 on which the assessment required by subsection (b) is 

3 completed, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 

4 on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 

5 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 

6 on such assessment and such recommendations for legisla7 tive and administrative action as the Secretary may have 

8 to improve the programs and per diem payments described 

9 in subsection (a). 

10 SEC. 9. REQUIREMENT FOR COMPTROLLER GENERAL TO 

11 STUDY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

12 HOMELESS VETERANS PROGRAMS. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days after the 

14 date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

15 of the United States shall complete a study of programs 

16 of the Department of Veterans Affairs that provide assist17 ance to homeless veterans. 

18 (b) ELEMENTS.—The study required by subsection 

19 (a) shall include the following: 

20 (1) An assessment of whether programs de21 scribed in subsection (a) are meeting the needs of 

22 veterans who are eligible for assistance provided by 

23 such programs. 

24 (2) A review of recent efforts of the Secretary 

25 of Veterans Affairs to improve the privacy, safety, 


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1 and security of female veterans receiving assistance 

2 from such programs. 

3 SEC. 10. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR ANNUAL REPORTS 

4 ON ASSISTANCE TO HOMELESS VETERANS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2065 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is hereby repealed. 

7 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

8 at the beginning of chapter 20 of such title is amended 

9 by striking the item relating to section 2065. 

Æ 


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