A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for supportive services for very low-income veteran families to include former members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Bill: S.5337 | Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. (D-NJ)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill makes eligible under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program former members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who have retired or separated from service after serving a term of enlistment. This includes families in which the head of household or spouse of the head of household is a former member of a reserve component who has retired or separated from service after serving a term of enlistment.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for 
  supportive services for very low-income veteran families to include 
 former members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN 
              FAMILIES TO INCLUDE FORMER MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE 
              COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Expansion of Eligibility.--Section 2044 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``veteran'' and 
        inserting ``eligible'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``veteran 
                families'' and inserting ``eligible families'';
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``veteran 
                families'' and inserting ``eligible families''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (6), by striking ``veteran 
                family'' and inserting ``eligible family'';
            (3) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``veteran families'' and 
                        inserting ``eligible families''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (D)(vii), by striking 
                        ``veteran family'' and inserting ``eligible 
                        family'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``veteran 
                families'' and inserting ``eligible families''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``veteran 
                families'' and inserting ``eligible families'';
            (4) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``veteran families'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``eligible families'';
            (5) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``veteran families'' 
        and inserting ``eligible families''; and
            (6) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) in paragraph (6)(A), by striking ``veteran 
                family'' each place it appears and inserting ``eligible 
                family''; and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(7) The term `eligible family' includes--
                    ``(A) a veteran who is a single person;
                    ``(B) a family in which the head of household or 
                the spouse of the head of household is a veteran;
                    ``(C) a former member of a reserve component of the 
                Armed Forces who has retired or separated from service 
                after having served a term of enlistment and is a 
                single person; and
                    ``(D) a family in which the head of household or 
                spouse of the head of household is a former member of a 
                reserve component of the Armed Forces who has retired 
                or separated from service after having served a term of 
                enlistment.''.
    (b) Funding.--Subsection (e)(1) of such section is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(I)(i) Such sums as may be available for such purposes 
        for fiscal year 2023, of which $50,000,000 shall be available 
        to carry out subsections (a), (b), and (c) with respect to 
        eligible families described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of 
        subsection (f)(7).
            ``(ii) Any amounts made available under clause (i) to carry 
        out subsections (a), (b), and (c) with respect to eligible 
        families described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of subsection 
        (f)(7) that remain available after supportive services have 
        been provided to such families under this section shall be 
        available during fiscal year 2023 to carry out subsections (a), 
        (b), and (c) with respect to eligible families described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such subsection.''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY EXPERIENCED BY MEMBERS OF 
              THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Study on Food and Housing Insecurity.--Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to Congress a report detailing plans to establish a study 
to analyze food and housing insecurity experienced by members of the 
reserve components of the Armed Forces.
    (b) Annual Report.--Not later than one year after submitting the 
report required under subsection (a), and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report including the 
findings of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).
    (c) Reserve Component Defined.--In this section, the term ``reserve 
component'' has the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, 
United States Code.
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