† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(3) Any person, including a surviving member of the 
deceased person’s immediate family, who suffers injury as 
a result of conduct that violates this section may— 
‘‘(A) sue therefor in any appropriate United 
States district court or in any court of competent ju-
risdiction; and 
‘‘(B) recover damages as provided in subsection 
(d) and the cost of the suit, including reasonable at-
torneys’ fees. 
‘‘(4) A final judgment or decree rendered in favor of 
the United States in any criminal proceeding brought by 
the United States under this section shall estop the defend-
ant from denying the essential allegations of the criminal 
offense in any subsequent civil proceeding brought by a per-
son or by the United States. 
‘‘(d) ACTUAL AND STATUTORY DAMAGES.—(1) In ad-
dition to any penalty imposed under subsection (b), a viola-
tor of this section is liable in an action under subsection 
(c) for actual or statutory damages as provided in this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) A person bringing an action under subsection 
(c)(3) may elect, at any time before final judgment is ren-
dered, to recover the actual damages suffered by him or her 
as a result of the violation or, instead of actual damages,
† HR 1627 EAS 
an award of statutory damages for each violation involved 
in the action. 
‘‘(3) In any action brought under subsection (c)(2), the 
Attorney General is entitled to recover an award of statu-
tory damages for each violation involved in the action not-
withstanding any recovery under subsection (c)(3). 
‘‘(4) A court may award, as the court considers just, 
statutory damages in a sum of not less than $25,000 or 
more than $50,000 per violation. 
‘‘(e) REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION.—It shall be a rebut-
table presumption that the violation of subsection (a) was 
committed willfully for purposes of determining relief under 
this section if the violator, or a person acting in concert 
with the violator, did not have reasonable grounds to be-
lieve, either from the attention or publicity sought by the 
violator or other circumstance, that the conduct of such vio-
lator or person would not— 
‘‘(1) disturb or tend to disturb the peace or good 
order of such funeral, memorial service, or ceremony; 
or 
‘‘(2) impede or tend to impede the access to or 
egress from such funeral, memorial service, or cere-
mony. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘demonstration’ includes—
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(A) any picketing or similar conduct; 
‘‘(B) any oration, speech, use of sound am-
plification equipment or device, or similar con-
duct that is not part of a funeral, memorial serv-
ice, or ceremony; 
‘‘(C) the display of any placard, banner, 
flag, or similar device, unless such a display is 
part of a funeral, memorial service, or ceremony; 
and 
‘‘(D) the distribution of any handbill, pam-
phlet, leaflet, or other written or printed matter 
other than a program distributed as part of a fu-
neral, memorial service, or ceremony; and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘immediate family’ means, with re-
spect to a person, the immediate family members of 
such person, as such term is defined in section 115 
of title 18.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 24 is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 2413 and insert-
ing the following new item: 
‘‘2413. Prohibition on certain demonstrations and disruptions at cemeteries under 
control of the National Cemetery Administration and at Arling-
ton National Cemetery.’’.
† HR 1627 EAS 
SEC. 602. CODIFICATION OF PROHIBITION AGAINST RES-
ERVATION OF GRAVESITES AT ARLINGTON 
NATIONAL CEMETERY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 24 is amended by insert-
ing after section 2410 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2410A. Arlington National Cemetery: other admin-
istrative matters 
‘‘(a) ONE
GRAVESITE.—(1) Not more than one 
gravesite may be provided at Arlington National Cemetery 
to a veteran or member of the Armed Forces who is eligible 
for interment or inurnment at such cemetery. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary of the Army may waive the prohi-
bition in paragraph (1) as the Secretary of the Army con-
siders appropriate. 
‘‘(b) 
PROHIBITION
AGAINST
RESERVATION
OF 
GRAVESITES.—(1) A gravesite at Arlington National Ceme-
tery may not be reserved for an individual before the death 
of such individual. 
‘‘(2)(A) The President may waive the prohibition in 
paragraph (1) as the President considers appropriate. 
‘‘(B) Upon waiving the prohibition in paragraph (1), 
the President shall submit notice of such waiver to— 
‘‘(i) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(ii) the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 2410 the following new item: 
‘‘2410A. Arlington National Cemetery: other administrative matters.’’. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), section 2410A of title 38, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with re-
spect to all interments at Arlington National Ceme-
tery after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (b) of such section, 
as so added, shall not apply with respect to the inter-
ment of an individual for whom a request for a re-
served gravesite was approved by the Secretary of the 
Army before January 1, 1962. 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
the Army shall submit to Congress a report on res-
ervations made for interment at Arlington National 
Cemetery. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following:
† HR 1627 EAS 
(A) The number of requests for reservation 
of a gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery 
that were submitted to the Secretary of the Army 
before January 1, 1962. 
(B) The number of gravesites at such ceme-
tery that, on the day before the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, were reserved in response to 
such requests. 
(C) The number of such gravesites that, on 
the day before the date of the enactment of this 
Act, were unoccupied. 
(D) A list of all reservations for gravesites 
at such cemetery that were extended by individ-
uals responsible for management of such ceme-
tery in response to requests for such reservations 
made on or after January 1, 1962. 
(E) A description of the measures that the 
Secretary is taking to improve the accountability 
and transparency of the management of gravesite 
reservations at Arlington National Cemetery. 
(F) Such recommendations as the Secretary 
may have for legislative action as the Secretary 
considers necessary to improve such account-
ability and transparency.
† HR 1627 EAS 
SEC. 603. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR PRESIDENTIAL 
MEMORIAL CERTIFICATES TO PERSONS WHO 
DIED IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL, OR 
AIR SERVICE. 
Section 112(a) is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘and persons who died in the 
active military, naval, or air service,’’ after ‘‘under 
honorable conditions,’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘veteran’s’’ and inserting ‘‘de-
ceased individual’s’’. 
SEC. 604. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PLACEMENT OF MONU-
MENTS IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. 
Section 2409(b) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Under’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) 
Under’’; 
(2) by inserting after ‘‘Secretary of the Army’’ 
the following: ‘‘and subject to paragraph (2)’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new para-
graphs: 
‘‘(2)(A) Except for a monument containing or mark-
ing interred remains, no monument (or similar structure, 
as determined by the Secretary of the Army in regulations) 
may be placed in Arlington National Cemetery except pur-
suant to the provisions of this subsection. 
‘‘(B) A monument may be placed in Arlington Na-
tional Cemetery if the monument commemorates—
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(i) the service in the Armed Forces of the indi-
vidual, or group of individuals, whose memory is to 
be honored by the monument; or 
‘‘(ii) a particular military event. 
‘‘(C) No monument may be placed in Arlington Na-
tional Cemetery until the end of the 25-year period begin-
ning— 
‘‘(i) in the case of the commemoration of service 
under subparagraph (B)(i), on the last day of the pe-
riod of service so commemorated; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of the commemoration of a par-
ticular military event under subparagraph (B)(ii), on 
the last day of the period of the event. 
‘‘(D) A monument may be placed only in those sections 
of Arlington National Cemetery designated by the Secretary 
of the Army for such placement and only on land the Sec-
retary determines is not suitable for burial. 
‘‘(E) A monument may only be placed in Arlington 
National Cemetery if an appropriate nongovernmental en-
tity has agreed to act as a sponsoring organization to co-
ordinate the placement of the monument and— 
‘‘(i) the construction and placement of the monu-
ment are paid for only using funds from private 
sources;
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary of the Army consults with the 
Commission of Fine Arts and the Advisory Committee 
on Arlington National Cemetery before approving the 
design of the monument; and 
‘‘(iii) the sponsoring organization provides for 
an independent study on the availability and suit-
ability of alternative locations for the proposed monu-
ment outside of Arlington National Cemetery. 
‘‘(3)(A) The Secretary of the Army may waive the re-
quirement under paragraph (2)(C) in a case in which the 
monument would commemorate a group of individuals who 
the Secretary determines— 
‘‘(i) has made valuable contributions to the 
Armed Forces that have been ongoing and perpetual 
for longer than 25 years and are expected to continue 
on indefinitely; and 
‘‘(ii) has provided service that is of such a char-
acter that the failure to place a monument to the 
group in Arlington National Cemetery would present 
a manifest injustice. 
‘‘(B) If the Secretary waives such requirement under 
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(i) make available on an Internet website noti-
fication of the waiver and the rationale for the waiv-
er; and
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(ii) submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
Representatives written notice of the waiver and the 
rationale for the waiver. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary of the Army shall provide notice 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Committee 
on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives of any monument proposed to be 
placed in Arlington National Cemetery. During the 60-day 
period beginning on the date on which such notice is re-
ceived, Congress may pass a joint resolution of disapproval 
of the placement of the monument. The proposed monument 
may not be placed in Arlington National Cemetery until 
the later of— 
‘‘(A) if Congress does not pass a joint resolution 
of disapproval of the placement of the monument, the 
date that is 60 days after the date on which notice 
is received under this paragraph; or 
‘‘(B) if Congress passes a joint resolution of dis-
approval of the placement of the monument, and the 
President signs a veto of such resolution, the earlier 
of—
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(i) the date on which either House of Con-
gress votes and fails to override the veto of the 
President; or 
‘‘(ii) the date that is 30 session days after 
the date on which Congress received the veto and 
objections of the President.’’. 
TITLE VII—OTHER MATTERS 
SEC. 701. ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS AFFECTED BY NAT-
URAL DISASTERS. 
(a) ADDITIONAL GRANTS FOR DISABLED VETERANS 
FOR SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 21 is amended by 
adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 2109. Specially adapted housing destroyed or dam-
aged by natural disasters 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the provisions of 
section 2102 and 2102A of this title, the Secretary may pro-
vide assistance to a veteran whose home was previously 
adapted with assistance of a grant under this chapter in 
the event the adapted home which was being used and occu-
pied by the veteran was destroyed or substantially damaged 
in a natural or other disaster, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Subject to subsection (c), assist-
ance provided under subsection (a) shall—
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(1) be available to acquire a suitable housing 
unit with special fixtures or moveable facilities made 
necessary by the veteran’s disability, and necessary 
land therefor; 
‘‘(2) be available to a veteran to the same extent 
as if the veteran had not previously received assist-
ance under this chapter; and 
‘‘(3) not be deducted from the maximum uses or 
from the maximum amount of assistance available 
under this chapter. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.—The amount of the assistance pro-
vided under subsection (a) may not exceed the lesser of— 
‘‘(1) the reasonable cost, as determined by the 
Secretary, of repairing or replacing the damaged or 
destroyed home in excess of the available insurance 
coverage on such home; or 
‘‘(2) the maximum amount of assistance to 
which the veteran would have been entitled under sec-
tions 2101(a), 2101(b), and 2102A of this title had 
the veteran not obtained previous assistance under 
this chapter.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 2108 the 
following new item: 
‘‘2109. Specially adapted housing destroyed or damaged by natural disasters.’’.
† HR 1627 EAS 
(b) EXTENSION
OF SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE
FOR 
VETERANS
COMPLETING
VOCATIONAL
REHABILITATION 
PROGRAM.—Section 3108(a)(2) is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ before ‘‘In’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) In any case in which the Secretary determines 
that a veteran described in subparagraph (A) has been dis-
placed as the result of a natural or other disaster while 
being paid a subsistence allowance under that subpara-
graph, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may 
extend the payment of a subsistence allowance under such 
subparagraph for up to an additional two months while 
the veteran is satisfactorily following a program of employ-
ment services described in such subparagraph.’’. 
(c) WAIVER OF LIMITATION ON PROGRAM OF INDE-
PENDENT LIVING SERVICES
AND ASSISTANCE.—Section 
3120(e) is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Programs’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) The limitation in paragraph (1) shall not apply 
in any case in which the Secretary determines that a vet-
eran described in subsection (b) has been displaced as the 
result of, or has otherwise been adversely affected in the
† HR 1627 EAS 
areas covered by, a natural or other disaster, as determined 
by the Secretary.’’. 
(d) COVENANTS AND LIENS CREATED BY PUBLIC EN-
TITIES IN RESPONSE TO DISASTER-RELIEF ASSISTANCE.— 
Paragraph (3) of section 3703(d) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(3)(A) Any real estate housing loan (other than for 
repairs, alterations, or improvements) shall be secured by 
a first lien on the realty. In determining whether a loan 
is so secured, the Secretary may either disregard or allow 
for subordination to a superior lien created by a duly re-
corded covenant running with the realty in favor of either 
of the following: 
‘‘(i) A public entity that has provided or will 
provide assistance in response to a major disaster as 
determined by the President under the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
‘‘(ii) A private entity to secure an obligation to 
such entity for the homeowner’s share of the costs of 
the management, operation, or maintenance of prop-
erty, services, or programs within and for the benefit 
of the development or community in which the vet-
eran’s realty is located, if the Secretary determines 
that the interests of the veteran borrower and of the
100 
† HR 1627 EAS 
Government will not be prejudiced by the operation of 
such covenant. 
‘‘(B) With respect to any superior lien described in 
subparagraph (A) created after June 6, 1969, the Sec-
retary’s determination under clause (ii) of such subpara-
graph shall have been made prior to the recordation of the 
covenant.’’. 
(e) AUTOMOBILES
AND OTHER CONVEYANCES
FOR 
CERTAIN DISABLED VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES.—Section 3903(a) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘No’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) Except 
as provided in paragraph (2), no’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may provide or assist in providing 
an eligible person with a second automobile or other convey-
ance under this chapter if— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary receives satisfactory evidence 
that the automobile or other conveyance previously 
purchased with assistance under this chapter was de-
stroyed— 
‘‘(i) as a result of a natural or other dis-
aster, as determined by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(ii) through no fault of the eligible person; 
and
101 
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(B) the eligible person does not otherwise receive 
from a property insurer compensation for the loss.’’. 
(f) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each year, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on 
the assistance provided or action taken by the Sec-
retary in the last fiscal year pursuant to the authori-
ties added by the amendments made by this section. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following for the fiscal 
year covered by the report: 
(A) A description of each natural disaster 
for which assistance was provided or action was 
taken as described in paragraph (1). 
(B) The number of cases or individuals, as 
the case may be, in which or to whom the Sec-
retary provided assistance or took action as de-
scribed in paragraph (1). 
(C) For each such case or individual, a de-
scription of the type or amount of assistance or 
action taken, as the case may be. 
(g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on the date that is one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
102 
† HR 1627 EAS 
SEC. 702. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING PROVISIONS 
OF LAW. 
(a) POOL OF MORTGAGE LOANS.—Section 3720(h)(2) 
is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2016’’. 
(b) LOAN FEES.—Section 3729(b)(2) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 
(B) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; 
(3) in subparagraph (C)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 
(4) in subparagraph (D)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘October 1, 
2016’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2017’’.
103 
† HR 1627 EAS 
(c) TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENT OF MAXIMUM HOME 
LOAN GUARANTY AMOUNT.—Section 501 of the Veterans’ 
Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–389; 
122 Stat. 4175; 38 U.S.C. 3703 note) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘December 31, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 
2014’’. 
SEC. 703. REQUIREMENT FOR PLAN FOR REGULAR ASSESS-
MENT OF EMPLOYEES OF VETERANS BENE-
FITS ADMINISTRATION WHO HANDLE PROC-
ESSING OF CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION AND 
PENSION. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives a plan that describes how the Secretary will— 
(1) regularly assess the skills and competencies of 
appropriate employees and managers of the Veterans 
Benefits Administration who are responsible for proc-
essing claims for compensation and pension benefits 
administered by the Secretary; 
(2) provide training to those employees whose 
skills and competencies are assessed as unsatisfactory 
by the regular assessment described in paragraph (1),
104 
† HR 1627 EAS 
to remediate deficiencies in such skills and com-
petencies; 
(3) reassess the skills and competencies of em-
ployees who receive training as described in para-
graph (2); and 
(4) take appropriate personnel action if, fol-
lowing training and reassessment as described in 
paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively, skills and com-
petencies remain unsatisfactory. 
SEC. 704. MODIFICATION OF PROVISION RELATING TO RE-
IMBURSEMENT RATE FOR AMBULANCE SERV-
ICES. 
Section 111(b)(3)(C) is amended by striking ‘‘under 
subparagraph (B)’’ and inserting ‘‘to or from a Department 
facility’’. 
SEC. 705. CHANGE IN COLLECTION AND VERIFICATION OF 
VETERAN INCOME. 
Section 1722(f)(1) is amended by striking ‘‘the pre-
vious year’’ and inserting ‘‘the most recent year for which 
information is available’’.
106 
† HR 1627 EAS 
such concern by not later than 90 days after such deter-
mination. 
‘‘(3) The debarment of a business concern under para-
graph (1) includes the debarment of all principals in the 
business concern for a period of not less than five years.’’. 
SEC. 707. QUARTERLY REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON CON-
FERENCES SPONSORED BY THE DEPART-
MENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 5 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences 
sponsored by the Department 
‘‘(a) QUARTERLY REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later 
than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on covered con-
ferences. 
‘‘(b) MATTERS INCLUDED.—Each report under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) An accounting of the final costs to the De-
partment of each covered conference occurring during 
the fiscal quarter preceding the date on which the re-
port is submitted, including the costs related to— 
‘‘(A) transportation and parking;
107 
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(B) per diem payments; 
‘‘(C) lodging; 
‘‘(D) rental of halls, auditoriums, or other 
spaces; 
‘‘(E) rental of equipment; 
‘‘(F) refreshments; 
‘‘(G) entertainment; 
‘‘(H) contractors; and 
‘‘(I) brochures or other printed media. 
‘‘(2) The total estimated costs to the Department 
for covered conferences occurring during the fiscal 
quarter in which the report is submitted. 
‘‘(c) COVERED CONFERENCE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘covered conference’ means a conference, meet-
ing, or other similar forum that is sponsored or co-spon-
sored by the Department and is— 
‘‘(1) attended by 50 or more individuals, includ-
ing one or more employees of the Department; or 
‘‘(2) estimated to cost the Department at least 
$20,000.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after 
the item relating to section 516 the following: 
‘‘517. Quarterly reports to Congress on conferences sponsored by the Department.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 517 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect
108 
† HR 1627 EAS 
on October 1, 2012, and shall apply with respect to the first 
quarter of fiscal year 2013 and each quarter thereafter. 
SEC. 708. PUBLICATION OF DATA ON EMPLOYMENT OF CER-
TAIN VETERANS BY FEDERAL CONTRACTORS. 
Section 4212(d) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The Secretary of Labor shall establish and main-
tain an Internet website on which the Secretary of Labor 
shall publicly disclose the information reported to the Sec-
retary of Labor by contractors under paragraph (1).’’. 
SEC. 709. VETSTAR AWARD PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 532 is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary may’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘ (a) ADVERTISING IN NATIONAL MEDIA.—The 
Secretary may’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(b) VETSTAR AWARD PROGRAM.—(1) The Secretary 
shall establish an award program, to be known as the 
‘VetStar Award Program’, to recognize annually businesses 
for their contributions to veterans’ employment. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall establish a process for the ad-
ministration of the award program, including criteria 
for—
109 
† HR 1627 EAS 
‘‘(A) categories and sectors of businesses eligible 
for recognition each year; and 
‘‘(B) objective measures to be used in selecting 
businesses to receive the award.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of such sec-
tion is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘; VetStar Award Program’’. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 5 is amended by striking 
the item relating to section 532 and inserting the fol-
lowing new item: 
‘‘532. Authority to advertise in national media; VetStar Award Program.’’. 
SEC. 710. EXTENDED PERIOD OF PROTECTIONS FOR MEM-
BERS OF UNIFORMED SERVICES RELATING 
TO MORTGAGES, MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE, 
AND EVICTION. 
(a) STAY OF PROCEEDINGS AND PERIOD OF ADJUST-
MENT OF OBLIGATIONS RELATING TO REAL OR PERSONAL 
PROPERTY.—Section 303(b) of the Servicemembers Civil 
Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 533(b)) is amended by striking 
‘‘within 9 months’’ and inserting ‘‘within one year’’. 
(b) PERIOD OF RELIEF FROM SALE, FORECLOSURE, 
OR SEIZURE.—Section 303(c) of such Act (50 U.S.C. App. 
533(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘within 9 months’’ and in-
serting ‘‘within one year’’.
110 
† HR 1627 EAS 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
sections (a) and (b) shall take effect on the date that is 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) EXTENSION OF SUNSET.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendments made by 
subsections (a) and (b) shall expire on December 31, 
2014. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Subsection (c) 
of section 2203 of the Housing and Economic Recov-
ery Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–289; 50 U.S.C. 
App. 533 note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act.’’. 
(3) REVIVAL.—Effective January 1, 2015, the 
provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of section 303 of 
the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. 
533), as in effect on July 29, 2008, are hereby re-
vived. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 540 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall submit to Congress 
a report on the protections provided under section 303 
of such Act (50 U.S.C. App 533) during the five-year
111 
† HR 1627 EAS 
period ending on the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include, for the period described in 
such paragraph, the following: 
(A) An assessment of the effects of such sec-
tion on the long-term financial well-being of 
servicemembers and their families. 
(B) The number of servicemembers who 
faced foreclosure during a 90-day period, 270- 
day period, or 365-day period beginning on the 
date on which the servicemembers completed a 
period of military service. 
(C) The number of servicemembers who ap-
plied for a stay or adjustment under subsection 
(b) of such section. 
(D) A description and assessment of the ef-
fect of applying for a stay or adjustment under 
such subsection on the financial well-being of the 
servicemembers who applied for such a stay or 
adjustment. 
(E) An assessment of the Secretary of De-
fense’s partnerships with public and private sec-
tor entities and recommendations on how the 
Secretary should modify such partnerships to