38 U.S.C. § 2003 (VETERANS’ BENEFITS)
§ 2003. Staffing requirements
(a) VBA Staffing at Regional Offices.—
The Secretary shall ensure that there is at least one full-time employee assigned to oversee and coordinate homeless veterans programs at each of the 20 Veterans Benefits Administration regional offices that the Secretary determines have the largest homeless veteran populations within the regions of the Administration. The programs covered by such oversight and coordination include the following:
(1) Housing programs administered by the Secretary under this title or any other provision of law.
(2) Compensation, pension, vocational rehabilitation, and education benefits programs administered by the Secretary under this title or any other provision of law.
(3) The housing program for veterans supported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(4) The homeless veterans reintegration program of the Department of Labor under section 2021 of this title.
(5) The programs under section 2033 of this title.
(6) The assessments required by section 2034 of this title.
(7) Such other programs relating to homeless veterans as may be specified by the Secretary.
(b) VHA Case Managers.—
The Secretary shall ensure that the number of case managers in the Veterans Health Administration is sufficient to assure that every veteran who is provided a housing voucher through section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is assigned to, and is seen as needed by, a case manager. In the case of vouchers provided under the HUD–VASH program under section 8(o)(19) of such Act, for purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “veteran” shall have the meaning given such term in section 2002(b) of this title.
(c) Memorandum of Understanding on Assistance From Indian Health Service.—
The Secretary may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Health and Human Services under which case managers of the Indian Health Service may provide case management assistance to veterans who receive housing vouchers under the Tribal Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (Tribal HUD-VASH) program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(Added Pub. L. 107–95, § 5(a)(1), Dec. 21, 2001, 115 Stat. 905; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. H, title XCI, § 9103(b), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4781; Pub. L. 116–315, title IV, § 4206, Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5014.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Prior Provisions
text: A prior section 2003 was renumbered section 4103 of this title.
Another prior section 2003, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1218, related to payments to the States equal to payments made by them in accordance with an agreement under chapter 41 of this title, prior to repeal by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 87–675.
Prior sections 2003A and 2004 were renumbered sections 4103A and 4104 of this title, respectively.
Another prior section 2004, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1219, related to information necessary to determine a veteran’s entitlement to compensation and which all Federal departments and agencies were required to make available to State agencies or to the Secretary, prior to repeal by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 87–675.
Prior sections 2004A and 2005 were renumbered sections 4104A and 4105 of this title, respectively.
Another prior section 2005, Pub. L. 85–837, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1219, related to penalties for making false statements or representations, or for knowledgeable failure to disclose material facts in order to obtain or increase payments under chapter 41 of this title, prior to repeal by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 87–675.
Prior section 2006 was renumbered section 4106 of this title.
Another prior section 2006, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1219, authorized the Secretary to make rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of chapter 41 of this title, and required him to consult with representatives of the State unemployment compensation agencies before prescribing any rules which could affect the performance of such agencies, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 87–675, § 1(a), Sept. 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 558.
Prior section 2007 was renumbered section 4107 of this title.
Another prior section 2007, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1220; Pub. L. 86–70, § 29(b), June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 148; Pub. L. 86–624, § 25(c), July 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 418, defined “Korean conflict veterans”, “unemployment compensation”, and “State”, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 87–675, § 1(a), Sept. 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 558.
Prior section 2008 was renumbered section 4108 of this title.
Another prior section 2008, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1220, enumerated provisions which forbade duplication of benefits, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 87–675, § 1(a), Sept. 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 558.
Prior section 2009 was renumbered section 4109 of this title.
Another prior section 2009, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1221, provided termination dates for the payment of benefits under chapter 41 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 87–675, § 1(a), Sept. 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 558.
Prior section 2010 was renumbered section 4110 of this title.
Another prior section 2010 was renumbered section 4101 of this title.
Prior section 2010A was renumbered section 4110A of this title.
heading: Amendments
text: 2021—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283 inserted at end “In the case of vouchers provided under the HUD–VASH program under section 8(o)(19) of such Act, for purposes of the preceding sentence, the term ‘veteran’ shall have the meaning given such term in section 2002(b) of this title.”
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–315 added subsec. (c).
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Report on Staffing of Department of Housing and Urban Development-Department of Veterans Affairs Supported Housing Program
text: Pub. L. 116–315, title IV, § 4208, Jan. 5, 2021, 134 Stat. 5015, provided that:
“Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 5, 2021], and every three years thereafter, 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 Representatives a report that includes the following:
“(1) An assessment of the hiring needs of the program carried out under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) (in this section referred to as the ‘HUD-VASH program’), including—
“(A) an identification of the number of case managers of the HUD-VASH program as of the date of the report including—
“(i) the total number of vacancies; and
“(ii) the vacancies at each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs;
“(B) the number of case managers of the HUD-VASH program that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development jointly determine necessary to meet the needs of the Department and the program; and
“(C) the amount of turnover among case managers of the HUD-VASH program and whether the turnover was planned or unexpected.
“(2) An assessment of how compensation, including recruitment and retention incentives, for case managers of the HUD-VASH program affects turnover, and what percentage of retention compensation is provided to such case managers at each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs (compared to other positions).
“(3) A comparison of compensation described in paragraph (2) with the compensation provided to State, local, and nongovernmental housing employees at comparable training and experience levels.
“(4) Examples of how the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have worked with non-Federal partners (such as local governments, nongovernmental organizations, veterans service organizations, and employee unions) to meet the staffing needs of the HUD-VASH program.
“(5) Examples of how medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs with high retention rates for case managers of the HUD-VASH program have been able to maintain staffing levels.”