VA Extenders Act of 2024

Bill: 118-hr-9712
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]
Introduced: 2024-09-19
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2024-09-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9712 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 19, 2024 Mr. Valadao (for himself and Mr. Bost ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs , and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the VA Extenders Act of 2024 . (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Title I—Health Care Sec. 101. Extension of authority for collection of copayments for hospital care and nursing home care. Sec. 102. Extension of requirement To provide nursing home care to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. Sec. 103. Extension of expansion of rural access network for growth enhancement program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 104. Extension of pilot program To provide veterans access to complementary and integrative health programs through animal therapy, agritherapy, sports and recreation therapy, art therapy, and posttraumatic growth programs. Sec. 105. Extension of authority for joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility demonstration fund. Title II—Memorial Affairs Sec. 201. Extension of entitlement to memorial headstones and markers for commemoration of veterans and certain individuals. Sec. 202. Extension of authority To bury remains of certain spouses and children in national cemeteries. Sec. 203. Authority for use of flat grave markers at Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico. Title III—Homelessness Sec. 301. Extension of authority To provide assistance for specially adapted housing for disabled veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member. Sec. 302. Extension of authority for specially adapted housing assistive technology grant program. Sec. 303. Extension of authorization of appropriations for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children reintegration grant program. Sec. 304. Extension of authority for treatment and rehabilitation for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans. Sec. 305. Extension of funding for financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing. Sec. 306. Extension of funding for grant program for homeless veterans with special needs. Title IV—Other Authorities Sec. 401. Extension of authority To transport individuals to and from Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. Sec. 402. Extension of testimonial subpoena authority of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 403. Extension of authority To maintain regional office in the Republic of the Philippines. Sec. 404. Extension and modification of authority for monthly assistance allowance for disabled veterans training in Paralympic and Olympic sports program. Sec. 405. Expansion of cost estimates for congressional consideration under Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund; reporting requirements. Sec. 406. Extension of authority for report on equitable relief provided due to administrative error. Sec. 407. Modification of certain housing loan fees. Sec. 408. Extension of authority for transfer of real property. Sec. 409. Extension of requirements relating to Chief Financial Officer of the Department. I Health Care 101. Extension of authority for collection of copayments for hospital care and nursing home care Section 1710(f)(2)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 102. Extension of requirement To provide nursing home care to certain veterans with service-connected disabilities Section 1710A(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 103. Extension of expansion of rural access network for growth enhancement program of the Department of Veterans Affairs Section 2(d) of the Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021 ( Public Law 117–21 ; 38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended by striking 2024 and inserting 2025 . 104. Extension of pilot program To provide veterans access to complementary and integrative health programs through animal therapy, agritherapy, sports and recreation therapy, art therapy, and posttraumatic growth programs Section 203(d)(1) of the Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 ( Public Law 116–171 ; 38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended by striking for a three-year period beginning on the commencement of the pilot program and inserting until September 30, 2025 . 105. Extension of authority for joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility demonstration fund Section 1704(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 ( Public Law 111–84 ; 123 Stat. 2573), as most recently amended by section 104 of division E of the Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 ( Public Law 117–180 ; 136 Stat. 2137), is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . II Memorial Affairs 201. Extension of entitlement to memorial headstones and markers for commemoration of veterans and certain individuals Section 2306(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking October 1, 2024 both places it appears and inserting September 30, 2025 . 202. Extension of authority To bury remains of certain spouses and children in national cemeteries Section 2402(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking October 1, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 203. Authority for use of flat grave markers at Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico Section 2404(c)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ; and and inserting a period at the end; (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (F) in the case of Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may provide flat grave markers in any section of such cemetery in which flat markers were in use on December 22, 2023. . III Homelessness 301. Extension of authority To provide assistance for specially adapted housing for disabled veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member Section 2102A(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking December 31, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 302. Extension of authority for specially adapted housing assistive technology grant program Section 2108(g) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 303. Extension of authorization of appropriations for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children reintegration grant program Section 2021A(f)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 2024 and inserting 2025 . 304. Extension of authority for treatment and rehabilitation for seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans (a) General treatment Section 2031(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . (b) Additional services at certain locations Section 2033(d) of such title is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 305. Extension of funding for financial assistance for supportive services for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing (a) In general Section 2044(e)(H) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 2024 and inserting 2025 . (b) Technical amendment Section 2044(e) of such title is amended by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (H) as paragraphs (1) through (8), respectively. 306. Extension of funding for grant program for homeless veterans with special needs Section 2061(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking 2024 and inserting 2025 . IV Other Authorities 401. Extension of authority To transport individuals to and from Department of Veterans Affairs facilities Section 111A(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 402. Extension of testimonial subpoena authority of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs Section 312(d)(7)(A) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking May 31, 2025 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 403. Extension of authority to maintain regional office in the Republic of the Philippines Section 315(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 404. Extension and modification of authority for monthly assistance allowance for disabled veterans training in Paralympic and Olympic sports program Section 322 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking the United States Olympic Committee each place it appears and inserting the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee ; (2) in subsection (a), by striking Veterans Benefits Administration and inserting Veterans Health Administration ; and (3) in subsection (d), by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows: (4) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection the following: (A) For each of fiscal years 2010 through 2023, $2,000,000. (B) For each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027, $2,500,000. . 405. Expansion of cost estimates for congressional consideration under Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund; reporting requirements Subsection (e) of section 324 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking title 31 and all that follows through the end of the subsection and inserting: title 31, for the applicable fiscal year— (1) detailed estimates of the sums proposed to be provided pursuant to subsection (c); (2) the proposed allocations of such sums, disaggregated by account and program within the Department; (3) justifications for the sums described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and (4) for each account described in paragraph (2), a calculation of the amount of funding requested for such account over the fiscal year 2021 level; ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsections: (g) Report (1) For each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes, with respect to the fiscal year covered by the report— (A) an identification, for each account within the Fund, of the total amount obligated or expended by the Secretary; (B) a description of any activity, program, or project carried out exclusively using sums provided pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (c); and (C) a description of how any activity, program, or project carried out using sums provided pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (c) benefits veterans who were exposed to environmental hazards while performing active military, naval, air, or space service. (2) The Secretary shall submit each report required under paragraph (1) by not later than January 1 of the fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year covered by the report. (h) Information provided upon congressional request The Secretary shall, upon the request of the Chair, Vice Chair, or Ranking Member, of an appropriate congressional committee, provide to such appropriate congressional committee documents, records, or other information in the format specified by such committee, including testimony, with respect to any allocation, purpose, use, or activities of the Fund. (i) Appropriate congressional committee defined In this section, the term appropriate congressional committee means any of the following: (1) The Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2) The Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. (3) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives. (4) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate. . 406. Extension of authority for report on equitable relief provided due to administrative error Section 503(c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended, in the second sentence, by striking December 31, 2024 and inserting December 31, 2025 . 407. Modification of certain housing loan fees The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 15, 2031 each place it appears and inserting November 29, 2031 . 408. Extension of authority for transfer of real property Section 8118(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2024 and inserting September 30, 2025 . 409. Extension of requirements relating to Chief Financial Officer of the Department Section 7103 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 ( Public Law 116–315 ) is amended by striking for fiscal year 2022 and each of the next three subsequent fiscal years and inserting for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 .