[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3496 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3496

 To make certain Federal facilities available to qualified assistance 
 organizations for use as temporary shelters for homeless individuals 
                       during nonbusiness hours.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 21, 1996

 Mr. Campbell introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To make certain Federal facilities available to qualified assistance 
 organizations for use as temporary shelters for homeless individuals 
                       during nonbusiness hours.

    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 ``Emergency Shelter Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF [PUBLIC AREAS OF] CERTAIN FEDERAL FACILITIES 
              FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.

    (a) In General.--Upon request from a qualified assistance 
organization, the head of an executive agency shall make available to 
the organization in accordance with this section covered facilities (or 
any part thereof) under the control of the agency for use as temporary 
shelter for homeless individuals.
    (b) Limitations.--The head of an executive agency shall not make an 
area available under this section--
            (1) if the agency head determines that the area is not 
        suitable for use as temporary shelter under this section 
        because of safety or health concerns;
            (2) if laws of the State or local jurisdiction where the 
        facility is located relating to safety or health would prohibit 
        use of the area for temporary shelter under this section;
            (3) during any period the area is used for other official 
        Federal Government purposes;
            (4) if use of the area under this section would displace 
        any other community use of the area that--
                    (A) was occurring before January 1, 1997; and
                    (B) has been continuous or serially recurring since 
                that date.
    (c) Terms of Use.--Use of an area under this section by a qualified 
assistance organization shall be on terms and conditions agreed to by 
the organization and the executive agency having control of the area.
    (d) Consultation Required.--In carrying out this section, the head 
of an executive agency shall consult with, and consider issues raised 
by, units of local government regarding the application of health and 
safety regulations and other concerns of local government, with the 
goal of implementing this section with minimum harm to those concerns.
    (e) Rule of Construction.--This section shall not be construed to--
            (1) require the Federal Government to make any expenditure 
        in connection with the use under this section of a covered 
        facility by a qualified assistance organization; or
            (2) reduce amounts available under other provisions of 
        Federal law for shelters for homeless individuals.
    (f) Provisions to Minimize Costs to Federal Government.--
            (1) Acceptance of donations to offset costs.--An executive 
        agency may accept and use contributions of funds from private 
        sources or units of local government to offset costs incurred 
        by the agency in complying with this section.
            (2) Cap on expenditures.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to 
        a covered facility if that application would result in a net 
        cost to the executive agency that controls the facility of more 
        than $1,000 in any year.
    (g) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Covered facility.--The term ``covered facility'' means 
        any building, structure, land, or other real property, other 
        than property being used for an activity conducted by the 
        Department of Defense.
            (2) Executive agency.--The term ``executive agency'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Federal 
        Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 
        472).
            (3) Homeless individual.--The term ``homeless individual'' 
        has the meaning set forth in section 103 of the Stewart B. 
        McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302).
            (4) Qualified assistance organization.--The term 
        ``qualified assistance organization'' means a State or local 
        government agency, a nonprofit organization, or any combination 
        thereof, that provides temporary shelter for homeless 
        individuals.
    (h) Repeal.--This section is repealed effective January 1, 2002.
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