HELP Veterans Act of 2011

Bill: 112-hr-117
Sponsor: Rep. Filner, Bob [D-CA-51]
Introduced: 2011-01-05 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Advisory bodies
Aviation and airports
Building construction
Child care and development
Congressional officers and employees
Employment and training programs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing for the elderly and disabled
Small business
Technology assessment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2011-01-05
text: 
Housing, Employment, and Living Programs for Veterans Act of 2011 or HELP Veterans Act of 2011 - Changes the standard of visual acuity required for eligibility for veterans' specially adapted housing assistance provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
 
 Authorizes the VA to guarantee a veterans' housing loan regardless of whether such loan is subordinate to a lien created in favor of a public entity that provides assistance in response to a major disaster.
 
Extends through 2016 VA authority to issue and guarantee certificates or other securities evidencing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans.
 
 Increases the authorized amount of the veterans' educational assistance allowance for flight training.
 
 Increases authorized payments to veterans pursuing internships or on-job training under VA educational assistance programs.
 
 Reauthorizes through June 30, 2020, certain qualifying VA work-study activities that lapse as of June 30, 2013.
 
 Expands the VA's work-study allowance program to allow student veterans to conduct certain veterans' outreach activities in congressional offices.
 
 Provides, through FY2013, a reduction in the percentage of wages to be provided by employers under VA on-job training programs.
 
 Reauthorizes through 2020 the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education.
 
 Directs the Secretary to: establish a team of individuals to review new technologies, processes, and products and determine those that may be beneficial to the VA or to veterans served by the VA.
 
 Directs the Secretary to provide limited reimbursement for the cost of child care provided by a licensed provider to a veteran who: (1) is participating in a VA vocational rehabilitation program; (2) is the sole caretaker of the child; and (3) would not otherwise be able to afford such care.
 
 Increases the amount of reporting fees payable to educational institutions that enroll veterans receiving VA educational assistance.
 
 Revises the way the VA charges a veteran's entitlement in the case of advance payment of an educational or subsistence allowance.
 
 Increases the monthly subsistence allowance payable to service-disabled veterans participating in VA training and rehabilitation.
 
 Directs the Secretary to pay a subsistence allowance, for up to three months, to a rehabilitated service-disabled veteran pursuing a VA program of employment services.
 
 Authorizes the Secretary to hold an annual veterans entrepreneurial development summit.
 
 Increases the maximum annual amount of VA specially adapted housing assistance.
 
 Includes under VA authority to guarantee certain housing loans to veterans a loan for the construction of a new dwelling and the cost of making energy efficiency improvements to such dwelling.
 
 Prohibits assistance provided under the VA's temporary residence adaptation program from counting toward the dollar limits under veterans' specially adapted housing assistance programs, but limits such exemption to the first 25 grants made during FY2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-02-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
action_date: 2011-01-05
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2011-01-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-01-05
text: Introduced in House