I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2518
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consolidation and 
improvement of programs to assist homeless veterans, to provide for 
management by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of the Military Per-
sonnel Records facility of the National Personnel Records Center in 
St. Louis, Missouri, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 19, 2003
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 
on Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for con-
solidation and improvement of programs to assist home-
less veterans, to provide for management by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs of the Military Personnel 
Records facility of the National Personnel Records Cen-
ter in St. Louis, Missouri, 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 Affairs Reor-
ganization Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. OFFICE IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO 
MANAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR HOME-
LESS VETERANS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—Chapter 3 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 320. Office of Homeless Veterans Assistance Pro-
grams 
‘‘(a) There is in the Department an Office of Home-
less Veterans Assistance Programs. There is at the head 
of the Office a Director. 
‘‘(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided by law 
or by the Secretary, the Secretary shall carry out through 
the Director all functions of the Secretary under chapter 
20 of this title and under any other program of the De-
partment for the provision of assistance to homeless vet-
erans. 
‘‘(c) As part of the annual report on assistance to 
homeless veterans required under section 2065 of this title 
for years beginning with 2004, the Secretary shall include 
a description of any function referred to in subsection (b) 
that the Secretary has determined (during the year in-
volved) to carry out other than through the Director, and 
the rationale for that determination.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item:
‘‘320. Office of Homeless Veterans Assistance Programs.’’.
SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF HOMELESS VETERAN REINTEGRA-
TION 
PROGRAM 
FROM 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
LABOR TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(a) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the 
Secretary of Labor under section 2021 of title 38, United 
States Code, are hereby transferred to the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 2021 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘of Labor’’ each place it appears 
in subsection (a), (b), and (d); 
(2) by striking ‘‘that Secretary’’ in subsection 
(b)(1) and inserting ‘‘the Secretary’’; and 
(3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall carry 
out this section through the Office of Homeless Veterans 
Assistance Programs.’’.
SEC. 4. TRANSFER OF OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR 
MILITARY PERSONNEL RECORDS FACILITY 
OF NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CEN-
TER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Archivist of the United 
States shall transfer operational responsibility (including 
the management and supervision of the delivery of serv-
ices) for the Military Personnel Records facility of the Na-
tional Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, Missouri, to 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.—The Archivist 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a 
memorandum of agreement as to the manner in which 
subsection (a) shall be carried out. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—The memorandum of agree-
ment under subsection (b) shall be entered into not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The transfer required by 
subsection (a) shall be carried out as soon as practicable 
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Æ