Union Calendar No. 167
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2206
[Report No. 105–293]
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve
programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs
for homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
OCTOBER 2, 1997
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Commit-
tee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and
ordered to be printed
IB
Union Calendar No. 167
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2206
[Report No. 105–293]
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs of the
Department of Veterans Affairs for homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 22, 1997
Mr. STEARNS (for himself and Mr. GUTIERREZ) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
OCTOBER 2, 1997
Additional sponsors: Mr. COOKSEY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. MAS-
CARA, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. REYES, Mrs. CHENOWETH, and
Mr. EVANS
OCTOBER 2, 1997
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on July 22, 1997]
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs
of the Department of Veterans Affairs for homeless vet-
erans, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Health Pro-
grams Improvement Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION FOR SERIOUSLY
MENTALLY ILL AND HOMELESS VETERANS.
(a) CODIFICATION
AND REVISIONS
OF VETERANS
HOMELESS PROGRAMS.—Chapter 17 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following
new subchapter:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER VII—TREATMENT AND REHABILI-
TATION FOR SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL AND
HOMELESS VETERANS
‘‘§ 1771. General treatment
‘‘In providing care and services under section 1710 of
this title to veterans suffering from serious mental illness,
including veterans who are homeless, the Secretary may
provide (directly or in conjunction with a governmental or
other entity)—
‘‘(1) outreach services;
‘‘(2) care, treatment, and rehabilitative services
(directly or by contract in community-based treat-
ment facilities, including halfway houses); and
‘‘(3) therapeutic transitional housing assistance
under section 1772 of this title, in conjunction with
work therapy under section 1718(a) or (b) of this title
and outpatient care.
‘‘§ 1772. Therapeutic housing
‘‘(a) The Secretary, in connection with the conduct of
compensated work therapy programs, may operate resi-
dences and facilities as therapeutic housing.
‘‘(b) The Secretary may use such procurement proce-
dures for the purchase, lease, or other acquisition of residen-
tial housing for purposes of this section as the Secretary
considers appropriate to expedite the opening and operation
of transitional housing and to protect the interests of the
United States.
‘‘(c) A residence or other facility may be operated as
transitional housing for veterans described in paragraphs
(1) and (2) of section 1710(a) of this title under the follow-
ing conditions:
‘‘(1) Only veterans described in those paragraphs
and a house manager may reside in the residence.
‘‘(2) Each resident, other than the house man-
ager, shall be required to make payments that con-
tribute to covering the expenses of board and the oper-
ational costs of the residence for the period of resi-
dence in such housing.
‘‘(3) In order to foster the therapeutic and reha-
bilitative objectives of such housing (A) residents shall
be prohibited from using alcohol or any controlled
substance or item, (B) any resident violating that
prohibition may be expelled from the residence, and
(C) each resident shall agree to undergo drug testing
or such other measures as the Secretary shall pre-
scribe to ensure compliance with that prohibition.
‘‘(4) In the establishment and operation of hous-
ing under this section, the Secretary shall consult
with appropriate representatives of the community in
which the housing is established and shall comply
with zoning requirements, building permit require-
ments, and other similar requirements applicable to
other real property used for similar purposes in the
community.
‘‘(5) The residence shall meet State and commu-
nity fire and safety requirements applicable to other
real property used for similar purposes in the com-
munity in which the transitional housing is located,
but fire and safety requirements applicable to build-
ings of the Federal Government shall not apply to
such property.
‘‘(d) The Secretary shall prescribe the qualifications
for house managers for transitional housing units operated
under this section. The Secretary may provide for free room
and subsistence for house managers in addition to, or in-
stead of payment of, a fee for such services.
‘‘(e)(1) The Secretary may operate as transitional
housing under this section—
‘‘(A) any suitable residential property acquired
by the Secretary as the result of a default on a loan
made, guaranteed, or insured under chapter 37 of this
title;
‘‘(B) any suitable space in a facility under the
jurisdiction of the Secretary that is no longer being
used (i) to provide acute hospital care, or (ii) as
housing for medical center employees; and
‘‘(C) any other suitable residential property pur-
chased, leased, or otherwise acquired by the Secretary.
‘‘(2) In the case of any property referred to in para-
graph (1)(A), the Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) transfer administrative jurisdiction over
such property within the Department from the Veter-
ans Benefits Administration to the Veterans Health
Administration; and
‘‘(B) transfer from the General Post Fund of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to the appropriate re-
volving fund under chapter 37 of this title an amount
(not to exceed the amount the Secretary paid for the
property) representing the amount the Secretary con-
siders could be obtained by sale of such property to
a nonprofit organization or a State for use as a shel-
ter for homeless veterans.
‘‘(3) In the case of any residential property obtained
by the Secretary from the Department of Housing and
Urban Development under this section, the amount paid by
the Secretary to that Department for that property may
not exceed the amount that the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development would charge for the sale of that prop-
erty to a nonprofit organization or a State for use as a
shelter for homeless persons. Funds for such charge shall be
derived from the General Post Fund.
‘‘(f) The Secretary shall prescribe—
‘‘(1) a procedure for establishing reasonable pay-
ment rates for persons residing in transitional hous-
ing; and
‘‘(2) appropriate limits on the period for which
such persons may reside in transitional housing.
‘‘(g) The Secretary may dispose of any property ac-
quired for the purpose of this section. The proceeds of any
such disposal shall be credited to the General Post Fund
of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
‘‘(h) Funds received by the Department under this sec-
tion shall be deposited in the General Post Fund. The Sec-
retary may distribute out of the fund such amounts as nec-
essary for the acquisition, management, maintenance, and
disposition of real property for the purpose of carrying out
such program. The Secretary shall manage the operation
of this section so as to ensure that expenditures under this
subsection for any fiscal year shall not exceed by more than
$500,000 proceeds credited to the General Post Fund under
this section. The operation of the program and funds re-
ceived shall be separately accounted for, and shall be stated
in the documents accompanying the President’s budget for
each fiscal year.
‘‘§ 1773. Additional services at certain locations
‘‘(a) Subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Secretary shall operate a program under this section to ex-
pand and improve the provision of benefits and services by
the Department to homeless veterans.
‘‘(b) The program shall include the establishment of
not fewer than eight programs (in addition to any existing
programs providing similar services) at sites under the ju-
risdiction of the Secretary to be centers for the provision
of comprehensive services to homeless veterans. The services
to be provided at each site shall include a comprehensive
and coordinated array of those specialized services which
may be provided under existing law.
‘‘(c) The program shall include the services of such em-
ployees of the Veterans Benefits Administration as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate at sites under the jurisdic-
tion of the Secretary at which services are provided to home-
less veterans.
‘‘§ 1774. Coordination with other agencies and organi-
zations
‘‘(a) In assisting homeless veterans, the Secretary shall
coordinate with, and may provide services authorized under
this title in conjunction with, State and local governments,
other appropriate departments and agencies of the Federal
Government, and nongovernmental organizations.
‘‘(b)(1) The Secretary shall require the director of each
medical center or the director of each regional benefits office
to make an assessment of the needs of homeless veterans liv-
ing within the area served by the medical center or regional
office, as the case may be.
‘‘(2) Each such assessment shall be made in coordina-
tion with representatives of State and local governments,
other appropriate departments and agencies of the Federal
Government, and nongovernmental organizations that have
experience working with homeless persons in that area.
‘‘(3) Each such assessment shall identify the needs of
homeless veterans with respect to the following:
‘‘(A) Health care.