Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act
Bill: S.4721 | Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine (D-NV)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act
This bill increases the maximum amount authorized under the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant program to $10,000 for veterans with a service-connected disability and $5,000 for those with disabilities that are not service-connected. The HISA grant program provides medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to veterans' (or service members') primary residence for specified purposes (e.g., allowing for entrance to their home).
The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase the dollar amount of the grant in accordance with inflation as determined by the Consumer Price Index.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the amount paid by 
  the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to veterans for improvements and 
   structural alterations furnished as part of home health services.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Autonomy for Disabled Veterans 
Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT AVAILABLE TO DISABLED VETERANS FOR 
              IMPROVEMENTS AND STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS FURNISHED AS PART 
              OF HOME HEALTH SERVICES.

    (a) Increase.--
            (1) In general.--Paragraph (2) of section 1717(a) of title 
        38, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by striking ``; or'' and 
                        inserting a semicolon;
                            (ii) in clause (ii)--
                                    (I) by inserting ``and before the 
                                date of the enactment of the Autonomy 
                                for Disabled Veterans Act'' after ``May 
                                5, 2010,''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``; and'' and 
                                inserting ``; or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following 
                        new clause:
                    ``(iii) in the case of a veteran who first applies 
                for benefits under this paragraph on or after the date 
                of the enactment of the Autonomy for Disabled Veterans 
                Act, $10,000; and''.
                    (B) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by striking ``; or'' and 
                        inserting a semicolon;
                            (ii) in clause (ii)--
                                    (I) by inserting ``and before the 
                                date of the enactment of the Autonomy 
                                for Disabled Veterans Act'' after ``May 
                                5, 2010,''; and
                                    (II) by striking the period at the 
                                end and inserting ``; or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following 
                        new clause:
                    ``(iii) in the case of a veteran who first applies 
                for benefits under this paragraph on or after the date 
                of the enactment of the Autonomy for Disabled Veterans 
                Act, $5,000.''.
            (2) Applicability.--A veteran who exhausts the eligibility 
        of the veteran for benefits under section 1717(a)(2) of title 
        38, United States Code, before the date of the enactment of 
        this Act is not entitled to additional benefits under such 
        section by reason of the amendments made by paragraph (1).
    (b) Adjustment for Inflation.--Section 1717(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
    ``(4) On an annual basis, the Secretary shall increase the dollar 
amounts in effect under paragraph (2) by a percentage equal to the 
percentage by which the consumer price index for all urban consumers 
(United States city average) increased during the 12-month period 
ending with the last month for which consumer price index data is 
available. In the event that such consumer price index does not 
increase during such period, the Secretary shall maintain the dollar 
amounts in effect under paragraph (2) during the previous fiscal 
year.''.
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