Veterans Benefits and Services Amendments of 1994

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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Benefits and Services 
Amendments of 1994''.

SEC. 2. REVISION IN COMPUTATION OF AGGREGATE GUARANTY FOR HOME LOANS.

    Section 3702(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking out paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu 
        thereof the following new paragraph (1):
            ``(1) the loan has been repaid in full, or the Secretary 
        has been released from liability as to the loan, or if the 
        Secretary has suffered a loss on the loan, the loss has been 
        paid in full; or'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking out ``; or'' and 
        inserting in lieu thereof a period; and
            (3) by striking out paragraph (3).

SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO GUARANTEE HOME REFINANCE LOANS FOR ENERGY 
              EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS.

    (a) Loans.--Section 3710(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding after paragraph (10) the following:
            ``(11) To refinance in accordance with subsection (e) of 
        this section an existing loan guaranteed, insured, or made 
        under this chapter, and to improve the dwelling securing such 
        loan through energy efficiency improvements, as provided in 
        subsection (d) of this section.''.
    (b) Amount of Guaranty.--Section 3710(e)(1) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in the matter above subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or 
        subsection (a)(11)'' after ``subsection (a)(8)''; and
            (2) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:
            ``(C) the amount of the loan may not exceed--
                    ``(i) an amount equal to the sum of the balance of 
                the loan being refinanced and such closing costs 
                (including any discount permitted pursuant to section 
                3703(c)(3)(A) of this title) as may be authorized by 
                the Secretary, under regulations which the Secretary 
                shall prescribe, to be included in such loan; or
                    ``(ii) in the case of a loan for a purpose 
                specified in such subsection (a)(11), an amount equal 
                to the sum of the amount referred to with respect to 
                the loan under clause (i) of this subparagraph and the 
                amount specified under subsection (d)(2) of this 
                section;''.
    (c) Fee.--Section 3729(a)(2)(E) of such title is amended by 
inserting ``3710(a)(11),'' after ``3710(a)(9)(B)(i),''.

SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF PERIOD OF VIETNAM ERA FOR CERTAIN VETERANS.

    (a) Expansion of Era.--Section 101(29) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(29) The term `Vietnam era' means--
            ``(A) the period beginning February 28, 1961, and ending on 
        May 7, 1975, in the case of a veteran who served in the 
        Republic of Vietnam during such period; and
            ``(B) the period beginning August 5, 1964, and ending on 
        May 7, 1975, in all other cases.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on October 1, 1994. No person shall be entitled to receive 
by reason of the amendment made by subsection (a) any benefits for any 
period before such date.

SEC. 5. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN PAYMENTS TO ALASKA NATIVES FROM 
              DETERMINATION OF ANNUAL INCOME FOR PURPOSES OF 
              ELIGIBILITY FOR PENSION.

    Section 1503(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``and'' at the end of paragraph (9);
            (2) by striking out the period at the end of paragraph 
        (10)(B) and inserting in lieu thereof ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(11) cash, stock, land, or other interest referred to in 
        subparagraphs (A) through (E) below paragraph (3) of section 
        29(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 
        1626(c)), whether attributable to the disposition of real 
        property, profits from the operation of real property, or 
        otherwise, that is received from a Native Corporation under 
        such Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT FOR USE OF PROPERTY AT EDWARD 
              HINES, JR., DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
              CENTER.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into a 
long-term lease or similar agreement with the organization known as the 
The Caring Place at Loyola, Inc., a not-for-profit organization 
operating under the laws of the State of Illinois, to permit that 
organization to establish on the grounds of the Edward Hines, Jr., 
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Hines, Illinois, a 
facility to provide temporary accommodations for family members of 
severely ill children who are being treated at the Loyola University of 
Chicago Medical Center.
    (b) Terms of Agreement.--An agreement under subsection (a)--
            (1) shall ensure that there shall be no cost to the Federal 
        Government as a result of the property use authorized under 
        that subsection;
            (2) may permit the use of the property without rent; and
            (3) shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that one room 
        of the facility is available for the use of a veteran (at no 
        cost to the veteran) as temporary accommodations for the 
        veteran while the veteran's severely ill child is treated at 
        the Loyola University of Chicago Medical Center.
    Amend the title so as to read: ``To amend title 38, United States 
Code, to permit home loan guaranties for energy efficiency 
improvements, to extend the period of the Vietnam era, to exclude 
certain payments to Alaska natives from annual income determinations 
for pension purposes, and for other purposes.''.

Summary: Veterans Benefits and Services Amendments of 1994 - Entitles veterans who have repaid in full a previous home loan guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to another home loan, whether or not the property securing the first loan has been sold or otherwise disposed of. (Current law requires such sale, even if the loan has been repaid in full.) 
Allows veterans to refinance an existing guaranteed loan in order to make energy efficiency improvements. 
Changes from August 5, 1964, to February 28, 1961, the date for the beginning of the Vietnam era for purposes of Federal veterans' benefits provisions for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam. 
Excludes the payment to Alaska Natives of cash, stock, land, or other interests representing dividends paid under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act from the calculation of annual income in the determination of eligibility for veterans' pensions. 
Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement with the Caring Place at Loyola, Inc., an Illinois nonprofit organization, for establishing on the grounds of the Edward Hines, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Hines, Illinois, a facility for the provision of temporary accommodations for family members of severely ill children being treated at the Loyola of Chicago Medical Center.