Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act

Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security, Homelessness and emergency shelter, Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation, Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs, Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:  <p><b>Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act</b></p> <p>This bill permanently authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use specified funding to provide assistance to homeless veterans and veterans participating in the Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. Additionally, the VA may collaborate with one or more organizations to manage the use of VA land for homeless veterans for living and sleeping. (Under current law, similar authorities have been temporarily provided to the VA for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.) </p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 645 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 645

To amend title 38, United States Code, to permanently authorize the use 
of certain funds to improve flexibility in the provision of assistance 
             to homeless veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 31, 2023

   Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick (for herself, Mr. Takano, Ms. Castor of 
 Florida, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Case, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. 
 Kamlager-Dove, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Brownley) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to permanently authorize the use 
of certain funds to improve flexibility in the provision of assistance 
             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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Healthy Foundations for Homeless 
Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF USE OF CERTAIN FUNDS FOR IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY 
              IN ASSISTANCE TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Subtitle VII of chapter 20 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section (and conforming 
the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly):
``Sec. 2068. Flexibility in provision of assistance to homeless 
              veterans
    ``(a) Use of Funds.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use 
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to carry out section 2011, 2012, 2031, or 2061 of this 
chapter to provide to homeless veterans and veterans participating in 
the program carried out under section 8(o)(19) of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)), as the Secretary 
determines necessary, the following:
            ``(1) Assistance required for the safety and survival of 
        the veteran (such as food, shelter, clothing, blankets, and 
        hygiene items).
            ``(2) Transportation required to support the stability and 
        health of the veteran (such as transportation for appointments 
        with service providers, the conduct of housing searches, and 
        the obtainment of food and supplies).
            ``(3) Communications equipment and services (such as 
        tablets, smartphones, disposable phones, and related service 
        plans) required to support the stability and health of the 
        veteran (such as through the maintenance of contact with 
        service providers, prospective landlords, and family members).
            ``(4) Such other assistance as the Secretary determines 
        necessary.
    ``(b) Homeless Veterans on Department Land.--(1) The Secretary may 
collaborate, to the extent practicable, with one or more organizations 
to manage the use of land of the Department for homeless veterans for 
living and sleeping.
    ``(2) Collaboration under paragraph (1) may include the provision 
by either the Secretary or the head of the organization concerned of 
food services and security for property, buildings, and other 
facilities owned or controlled by the Department.''.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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