‘‘(I) Peripheral neuropathy except where directly 
related to infectious causes. 
‘‘(J) Irritable bowel syndrome. 
‘‘(K) Peptic ulcer disease.’’.
SEC. 12. EXTENSION OF SPINA BIFIDA BENEFITS FOR CHIL-
DREN OF VIETNAM-ERA VETERANS. 
(a) ELIGIBLE CHILDREN.—Subchapter I of chapter 18 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
before section 1802 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1801. Persons eligible for benefits 
‘‘An individual is an eligible child for purposes of this 
subchapter if the individual is suffering from spina bifida 
and is—
‘‘(1) a child as defined in section 1821(1) of this 
title; or 
‘‘(2) the natural child, regardless of age or mar-
ital status, of a parent who during the period begin-
ning on October 1 1967, and ending on May 7 1975, 
performed active military, naval, or air service in the 
Republic of Korea in the area between the south line 
of the Demilitarized Zone and a line five miles south 
of the Civilian Control Line established with respect 
to the Demilitarized Zone, but only if the individual 
was conceived after the parent performed such serv-
ice.’’. 
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(b) HEALTH CARE.—Section 1803(a) of such title is 
amended by striking ‘‘a child of a Vietnam veteran who 
is suffering from spina bifida’’ and inserting ‘‘an eligible 
child’’. 
(c) VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND REHABILITATION.—
Section 1804(a) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘a 
child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina 
bifida’’ and inserting ‘‘an eligible child’’. 
(d) MONETARY ALLOWANCE.—Section 1805(a) of such 
title is amended by striking ‘‘any child of a Vietnam vet-
eran’’ and inserting ‘‘any eligible child’’. 
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Chapter 18 of such 
title is amended as follows: 
(1) The heading of the chapter is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘CHAPTER 18—DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR 
CHILDREN 
OF 
VIETNAM 
VETERANS 
AND OTHER VETERANS EXPOSED TO 
HERBICIDE AGENTS’’. 
(2) The heading of subchapter I is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER I—CHILDREN BORN WITH SPINA 
BIFIDA’’. 
(3) The table of sections at the beginning of the 
chapter is amended—
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(A) by striking the item relating to sub-
chapter I and inserting the following:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER I—CHILDREN BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA’’;
and 
(B) by inserting before the item relating to 
section 1802 the following new item:
‘‘1801. Persons eligible for benefits.’’.
(f) TABLES
OF CHAPTERS.—The items relating to 
chapter 18 in the tables of chapters at the beginning of title 
38, United States Code, and at the beginning of part II 
of such title, are amended to read as follows:
‘‘18. Disability Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans and Other Vet-
erans Exposed to Herbicide Agents ..................................
1801’’.
SEC. 13. PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR HOUSING LOANS 
FOR MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE. 
Section 3702(a)(2)(E) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘For the period’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘each’’ and inserting ‘‘Each’’. 
SEC. 14. ADJUSTMENT TO HOME LOAN FEES AND UNI-
FORMITY OF FEES FOR QUALIFYING RESERVE 
MEMBERS WITH FEES FOR ACTIVE DUTY VET-
ERANS. 
(a) REVISED LOAD FEE TABLE.—Paragraph (2) of 
section 3729(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) The loan fee table referred to in paragraph (1) 
is as follows:
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‘‘LOAN FEE TABLE 
Type of loan 
Veteran 
Other obligor 
(A)(i) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or con-
struct a dwelling with 0-down, or any other initial loan de-
scribed in section 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down 
(closed before October 1, 2003) ........................................................
2.00
NA
(A)(ii) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or 
construct a dwelling with 0-down, or any other initial loan de-
scribed in section 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down 
(closed on or after October 1, 2003, and before October 1, 2011) 
2.15
NA
(A)(iii) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or 
construct a dwelling with 0-down, or any other initial loan de-
scribed in section 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down 
(closed on or after October 1, 2011) ................................................
1.40
NA
(B)(i) Subsequent loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or 
construct a dwelling with 0-down, or any other subsequent loan 
described in section 3710(a) (closed before October 1, 2011) ........
3.30
NA
(B)(ii) Subsequent loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase 
or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or any other subsequent 
loan described in section 3710(a) (closed on or after October 1, 
2011 and before October 1, 2013) ...................................................
2.15
NA
(B)(iii) Subsequent loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase 
or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or any other subsequent 
loan described in section 3710(a) (closed on or after October 1, 
2013) .................................................................................................
1.25
NA
(C)(i) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct 
a dwelling with 5-down (closed before October 1, 2011) ...............
1.50
NA
(C)(ii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or construct 
a dwelling with 5-down (closed on or after October 1, 2011) ......
0.75
NA
(D)(i) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or con-
struct a dwelling with 10-down (closed before October 1, 2011) ..
1.25
NA
(D)(ii) Initial loan described in section 3710(a) to purchase or 
construct a dwelling with 10-down (closed on or after October 1, 
2011) .................................................................................................
0.50
NA
(E) Interest rate reduction refinancing loan .....................................
0.50
NA
(F) Direct loan under section 3711 ....................................................
1.00
NA
(G) Manufactured home loan under section 3712 (other than an 
interest rate reduction refinancing loan) .......................................
1.00
NA
(H) Loan to Native American veteran under section 3762 (other 
than an interest rate reduction refinancing loan) ........................
1.25
NA
(I) Loan assumption under section 3714 ...........................................
0.50
0.50
(J) Loan under section 3733(a) ..........................................................
2.25
2.25
(K) Hybrid loan under section 3707A ...............................................
1.25
NA’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Subparagraph 
(A) of paragraph (4) of such section is amended to read 
as follows:
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‘‘(A) The term ‘veteran’ means any veteran eligi-
ble for the benefits of this chapter.’’. 
(2) Such paragraph is further amended by striking 
subparagraph (B) and redesignating subparagraphs (C), 
(D), (E), (F), (G), (H), and (I) as subparagraphs (B), (C), 
(D), (E), (F), (G), and (H), respectively. 
SEC. 15. REINSTATEMENT OF MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 
FOR SALE OF VENDEE LOANS. 
(a) REINSTATEMENT.—Subsection (a) of section 3733 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 
paragraph (2). 
(b) INCREASE
IN MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE.—Para-
graph (1) of such subsection is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘65 percent’’ in the first sentence 
and inserting ‘‘85 percent’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘may be financed’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall be financed’’; and 
(3) by striking the second sentence. 
(c) STYLISTIC AMENDMENTS.—Such section is further 
amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘of this subsection’’ after—
(A) 
‘‘paragraph 
(1)’’ 
in 
subsections 
(a)(4)(A), (a)(5), (a)(6), and (c)(2); and 
(B) 
‘‘paragraph 
(5)’’ 
in 
subsection 
(a)(4)(B)(i); and 
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(2) by striking ‘‘of this paragraph’’ each place it 
appears in subsection (a)(4). 
SEC. 16. RATE OF PAYMENT OF BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN 
FILIPINO VETERANS AND THEIR SURVIVORS 
RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) RATE
OF PAYMENT.—Section 107 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended—
(1) in the second sentence of subsection (b), by 
striking ‘‘Payments’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as pro-
vided in subsection (c), payments’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘and subchapter II of 
chapter 13 (except section 1312(a)) of this title’’ 
after ‘‘chapter 11 of this title’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘in subsection (a)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘in subsection (a) or (b)’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘of subsection (a)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘of the applicable subsection’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to benefits paid for months begin-
ning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 17. BURIAL BENEFITS FOR NEW PHILIPPINE SCOUTS 
RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) BENEFIT ELIGIBILITY.—Section 107 of title 38, 
United States Code, as amended by section 16, is further 
amended—
(1) in subsection (b)(2)—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ and inserting a 
comma; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, 23, and 24 (to the extent 
provided for in section 2402(8))’’ after ‘‘(except 
section 1312(a))’’; 
(2) in the second sentence of subsection (b), as 
amended by section 16(a)(1), by inserting ‘‘or (d)’’ 
after ‘‘subsection (c)’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting ‘‘or (b), as 
otherwise applicable,’’ after ‘‘subsection (a)’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d)(2), by inserting ‘‘or whose 
service is described in subsection (b) and who dies 
after the date of the enactment of the Veterans Bene-
fits Act of 2003,’’ after ‘‘November 1, 2000,’’. 
(b) 
NATIONAL
CEMETERY
INTERMENT.—Section 
2402(8) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘section 
107(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a) or (b) of section 107’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
sections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to deaths occur-
ring after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
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SEC. 18. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN RE-
GIONAL OFFICE IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE 
PHILIPPINES. 
Section 315(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2003’’ and inserting 
‘‘December 31, 2009’’. 
SEC. 19. OUTSTATIONING OF TRANSITION ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM PERSONNEL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Chapter 41 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 4113. Outstationing of Transition Assistance Pro-
gram personnel 
‘‘(a) STATIONING OF TAP PERSONNEL AT OVERSEAS 
MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.—(1) The Secretary—
‘‘(A) shall station employees of the Veterans’ Em-
ployment and Training Service, or contractors under 
subsection (c), at each veterans assistance office de-
scribed in paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(B) may station such employees or contractors 
at such other military installations outside the United 
States as the Secretary, after consultation with the 
Secretary of Defense, determines to be appropriate or 
desirable to carry out the purposes of this chapter. 
‘‘(2) Veterans assistance offices referred to in para-
graph (1)(A) are those offices that are established by the
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Secretary of Veterans Affairs on military installations pur-
suant to the second sentence of section 7723(a) of this title. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—Employees (or contractors) sta-
tioned at military installations pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall provide, in person, counseling, assistance in identi-
fying employment and training opportunities, help in ob-
taining such employment and training, and other related 
information and services to members of the Armed Forces 
who are being separated from active duty, and the spouses 
of such members, under the Transition Assistance Program 
and Disabled Transition Assistance Program established in 
section 1144 of title 10. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT WITH PRIVATE ENTI-
TIES.—The Secretary, consistent with such section 1144, 
may enter into contracts with public or private entities to 
provide, in person, some or all of the counseling, assistance, 
information and services under the Transition Assistance 
Program required under subsection (a).’’. 
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chap-
ter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
‘‘4113. Outstationing of Transition Assistance Program personnel.’’.
(b) DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 
the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall implement section 
4113 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(a), and shall have employees of the Veterans’ Employment 
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and Training Service, or contractors, to carry out that sec-
tion at the military installations involved by such date. 
SEC. 20. FORFEITURE OF BENEFITS FOR SUBVERSIVE AC-
TIVITIES. 
(a) ADDITION OF CERTAIN OFFENSES.—Paragraph 
(2) of section 6105(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘175, 229,’’ after ‘‘sections’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘831, 1091, 2332a, 2332b,’’ after 
‘‘798,’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to claims filed after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 21. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS RELATED TO JOBS FOR 
VETERANS ACT. 
(a) JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT FUNCTIONS OF 
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.—(1) Subsection (c)(2)(B)(ii) 
of section 4102A of such title is amended by striking ‘‘Octo-
ber 1, 2002’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2003’’. 
(2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take 
effect as if included in the enactment of section 4(a) of the 
Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107–288; 116 Stat. 
2038). 
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(b) OTHER TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—(1) Such sub-
section is further amended by striking ‘‘, as amended by 
the Jobs for Veterans Act’’.
(2) Subsection (f)(1) of such section is amended by 
striking ‘‘6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
section,’’ and inserting ‘‘May 7, 2003,’’. 
SEC. 22. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING RELATING TO ES-
TABLISHMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY ADMIN-
ISTRATION AS AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY. 
Title 38, United States Code, is amended as follows: 
(1) Section 1322 is amended—
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Secretary 
of Health and Human Services’’ and all that fol-
lows through the period and inserting ‘‘Commis-
sioner of Social Security, and shall be certified 
by the Commissioner to the Secretary upon re-
quest of the Secretary.’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)—
(i) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health 
and Human Services’’ in the first sentence 
and inserting ‘‘Commissioner of Social Se-
curity’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘the two Secretaries’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the Secretary and the Com-
missioner’’; and 
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(iii) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health 
and Human Services’’ in the second sen-
tence and inserting ‘‘Commissioner’’. 
(2) Section 5101(a) is amended by striking ‘‘Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services’’ and inserting 
‘‘Commissioner of Social Security’’. 
(3) Section 5317 is amended by striking ‘‘Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services’’ in subsections 
(a), (b), and (g) and inserting ‘‘Commissioner of So-
cial Security’’. 
(4)(A) Section 5318 is amended—
(i) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Social Security Administration’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (b)—
(I) by striking ‘‘Department of Health 
and Human Services’’ and inserting ‘‘So-
cial Security Administration’’; 
(II) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health 
and Human Services’’ the first place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘Commissioner of So-
cial Security’’; 
(III) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health 
and Human Services’’ the second place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘Commissioner’’; and 
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