I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3727 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide emergency assist-
ance to homeless veterans and their families affected by Hurricane 
Katrina, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 
Mr. EVANS (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. 
SNYDER, Mr. MICHAUD, Ms. HERSETH, Mr. STRICKLAND, Ms. HOOLEY, 
Mr. REYES, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. GUTIERREZ, and Mr. UDALL of New 
Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide 
emergency assistance to homeless veterans and their fam-
ilies affected by Hurricane Katrina, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. USE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
FORECLOSED HOMES FOR VETERANS AND 
DISPLACED PERSONS. 
(a) USE OF FORECLOSED HOMES.—(1) In the case 
of any residential property on which the Department of 
Veterans Affairs has foreclosed or which the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs has acquired pursuant to section 3732 
of title 38, United States Code, that the Secretary deter-
mines to be suitable, the Secretary shall make such prop-
erty available to an entity described in paragraph (2) or 
to another entity designated by the Director of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency for use as a temporary 
residence for Hurricane Katrina-affected individuals. The 
period for which such a property may be made available 
for use as a temporary residence under this section may 
not exceed two years. 
(2) An entity referred to in paragraph (1) is an entity 
described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 
2041(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code. 
(3) An entity to which a residential property is made 
available under paragraph (1) shall give priority in pro-
viding shelter to those Hurricane Katrina-affected individ-
uals who are veterans, surviving spouses of veterans, and 
children of veterans (as those terms are defined in section 
101 of title 38, United States Code), and their families.
(4) In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall consult with the Under Secretary 
of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and 
Response. 
(b) 
REIMBURSEMENT
OF
CERTAIN
EXPENDI-
TURES.—Consistent with section 304 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5147), the Director of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall reimburse the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs for any expenditures of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs relating to the repair, maintenance, or 
management of properties owned by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to the extent that such repair, mainte-
nance, or management is for the purpose of making such 
properties available as temporary residences for Hurricane 
Katrina-affected individuals under the authority of section 
3720 of title 38, United States Code. 
(c) HURRICANE KATRINA-AFFECTED INDIVIDUAL 
DEFINED.—For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘Hurri-
cane Katrina-affected individual’’ means an individual who 
as of August 28, 2005, resided in, or was employed in, 
a county adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina in the 
State of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama that 
is designated for individual assistance or public assistance 
by Federal Disaster Declaration notice 1602, 1603, 1604,