[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5311 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5311

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs for homeless 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2000

  Mr. Evans introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve programs for homeless 
                   veterans, 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. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Heather French 
Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2000''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. National goal to end homelessness among veterans.
Sec. 4. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.
Sec. 5. Annual meeting requirement for Interagency Council on Homeless.
Sec. 6. Evaluation of homeless programs.
Sec. 7. Changes in veterans equitable resource allocation methodology.
Sec. 8. Grant program for homeless veterans with special needs.
Sec. 9. Coordination of services for veterans at risk of homelessness.
Sec. 10. Centers of Excellence in Integrated Mental Health Services 
                            Delivery.
Sec. 11. Dental care.
Sec. 12. Programmatic expansions.
Sec. 13. Various authorities.
Sec. 14. Life safety code.
Sec. 15. Temporary assistance grants.
Sec. 16. Emergency homeless grants.
Sec. 17. Assistance for grant applications.
Sec. 18. Home loan program for manufactured housing.
Sec. 19. Extension of Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On the field of battle, the members of the Armed Forces 
        who defend the Nation are honor-bound to leave no one behind 
        and, likewise, the Nation is honor-bound to leave no veteran 
        behind.
            (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs report known as the 
        Community Homeless Assessment, Local Education, and Networking 
        Groups for Veterans (CHALENG) assessment, issued in May 2000, 
        reports that during 1999 there were an estimated 344,983 
        homeless veterans, an increase of 34 percent above the 1988 
        estimate of 256,872 homeless veterans.
            (3) Male veterans are more likely to be homeless than their 
        nonveteran peers, with 23 percent of the homeless male 
        population being veterans, whereas veterans constitute only 13 
        percent of the general male population.
            (4) Homelessness among veterans is persistent despite 
        unprecedented economic growth and job creation and general 
        prosperity.
            (5) While there are many effective programs that assist 
        homeless veterans to again become productive and self-
        sufficient members of society, current resources provided to 
        such programs and other activities that assist homeless 
        veterans are inadequate to provide all needed essential 
        services, assistance, and support to homeless veterans.
            (6) If current programs to assist homeless veterans are 
        fully maintained but not expanded, veterans will experience an 
        estimated 1,200,000,000 nights of homelessness during the next 
        decade.
            (7) The CHALENG assessment referred to in paragraph (2) 
        reports--
                    (A) that Department of Veterans Affairs and 
                community partnerships were responsible for 
                establishing 4,943 total beds for homeless veterans 
                during 1999, including emergency, transitional, and 
                permanent beds; and
                    (B) that there is a need for more than 110,000 
                additional beds to meet current needs of homeless 
                veterans.
            (8) The Congressional Budget Office forecasts a Federal 
        budget surplus of $268,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 and 
        budget surpluses totaling more than $4,500,000,000,000 over the 
        next 10 years.
            (9) At least $1,000,000,000 will be required to establish 
        the 110,000 additional new beds now needed by homeless 
        veterans, according to an informal Department of Veterans 
        Affairs cost estimate.
            (10) Even if 5,000 additional beds were provided annually 
        to serve the needs of homeless veterans, more than two decades 
        would be needed to meet the current need for additional beds to 
        serve homeless veterans.
            (11) Nearly four decades ago, the Nation established a goal 
        of sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to earth 
        within a decade and accomplished that goal, and the Nation can 
        do no less to end homelessness among the Nation's veterans.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL GOAL TO END HOMELESSNESS AMONG VETERANS.

    (a) National Goal.--Congress hereby declares it to be a national 
goal to end homelessness among veterans within a decade.
    (b) Cooperative Efforts Encouraged.--Congress hereby encourages all 
departments and agencies of Federal, State, and local government, 
quasi-governmental organizations, private and public sector entities, 
including community-based organizations, and individuals to work 
cooperatively to end homelessness among veterans within a decade.

SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 546. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans
    ``(a)(1) There is in the Department the Advisory Committee on 
Homeless Veterans (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
`Committee').
    ``(2) The Committee shall consist of not more than 12 members 
appointed by the Secretary from--
                    ``(A) veterans service organizations;
                    ``(B) advocates of homeless veterans and other 
                homeless individuals;
                    ``(C) community-based providers of services to 
                homeless individuals;
                    ``(D) previously homeless veterans; and
                    ``(E) such other organizations or groups as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall determine the terms of service and pay 
and allowances of the members of the Committee, except that a term of 
service may not exceed three years. The Secretary may reappoint any 
member for additional terms of service.
    ``(b)(1) The Secretary shall, on a regular basis, consult with and 
seek the advice of the Committee with respect to the provision by the 
Department of benefits and services to homeless veterans.
    ``(2)(A) In providing advice to the Secretary under this 
subsection, the Committee shall--
            ``(i) assemble and review information relating to the needs 
        of homeless veterans;
            ``(ii) provide an on-going assessment of the effectiveness 
        of the policies, organizational structures, and services of the 
        Department in assisting homeless veterans; and
            ``(iii) provide on-going advice on the most appropriate 
        means of providing assistance to homeless veterans.
    ``(3) The Committee shall--
            ``(A) review the continuum of services provided by the 
        Department directly or by contract in order to define cross-
        cutting issues and to improve coordination of all services with 
        the Department that are involved in addressing the special 
        needs of homeless veterans;
            ``(B) identify (through the annual assessments under 
        section 1774 of title 38, United States Code, and other 
        available resources) gaps in programs of the Department in 
        serving homeless veterans, including identification of 
        geographic areas with unmet needs, and provide recommendations 
        to address those program gaps;
            ``(C) identify barriers under existing laws and policies to 
        effective coordination by the Department with other Federal 
        agencies and with State and local agencies addressing homeless 
        populations;
            ``(D) identify opportunities for increased liaison by the 
        Department with nongovernmental organizations and individual 
        groups addressing homeless populations;
            ``(E) participate with appropriate officials of the 
        Department designated by the Secretary in with the Interagency 
        Council on the Homeless under section 202 of the Stewart B. 
        McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311); and
            ``(F) perform such other functions as the Secretary may 
        direct.
    ``(4) In carrying out its duties under paragraph (2), the Committee 
shall take into special account the needs of veterans who have served 
in a theater of combat operations.
    ``(c)(1) Not later than March 31 of each year, the Committee shall 
submit to the Secretary a report on the programs and activities of the 
Department that relate to homeless veterans. Each such report shall 
include--
            ``(A) an assessment of the needs of homeless veterans;
            ``(B) a review of the programs and activities of the 
        Department designed to meet such needs;
            ``(C) a review of the activities of Committee; and
            ``(D) such recommendations (including recommendations for 
        administrative and legislative action) as the Committee 
        considers appropriate.
    ``(2) Not later than 90 days after the receipt of a report under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall transmit to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a copy of 
the report, together with any comments and recommendations concerning 
the report that the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(3) The Committee may also submit to the Secretary such other 
reports and recommendations as the Committee considers appropriate.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall submit with each annual report submitted 
to the Congress pursuant to section 529 of this title a summary of all 
reports and recommendations of the Committee submitted to the Secretary 
since the previous annual report of the Secretary submitted pursuant to 
that section.
    ``(d)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall apply to the 
activities of the Committee under this section.
    ``(2) Section 14 of such Act shall not apply to the Committee.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``546. Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.''.

SEC. 5. ANNUAL MEETING REQUIREMENT FOR INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESS.

    Section 202(c) of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 11311(c)) is amended by striking the second sentence and 
inserting the following: ``The Council shall meet not less often than 
annually.''.

SEC. 6. EVALUATION OF HOMELESS PROGRAMS.

    (a) Evaluation Centers.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
support the continuation within the Department of Veterans Affairs of 
at least one center for evaluation to monitor the structure, process, 
and outcome of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs that 
address homeless veterans.
    (b) Annual Report on Health Care.--The Secretary shall submit to 
Congress an annual report on programs of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs addressing health care needs of homeless veterans. The 
Secretary shall include in each such report the following:
            (1) Information about expenditures, costs, and workload 
        under the Department of Veterans Affairs program known as the 
        Health Care for Homeless Veterans program (HCHV).
            (2) Information about the veterans contacted through that 
        program.
            (3) Information about processes under that program.
            (4) Information about program treatment outcomes under that 
        program.
            (5) Information about supported housing programs.
            (6) Information about the Department's grant and per diem 
        provider program.
            (7) Other information the Secretary considers relevant in 
        assessing the program.
    (c) Annual Program Assessment.--Section 1774(b) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``annual'' in paragraph (1) after ``to 
        make an''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(6) The Secretary shall review each annual assessment under this 
subsection and shall consolidate the findings and conclusions of those 
assessments into an annual report to be submitted to Congress.''.

SEC. 7. CHANGES IN VETERANS EQUITABLE RESOURCE ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY.

    (a) Allocation Categories.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
designate the following care as being within the resource allocation 
category designated as ``complex care'' within the Veterans Equitable 
Resource Allocation system:
            (1) Care provided to veterans enrolled in the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs program for Mental Health Intensive Community 
        Case Management.
            (2) Care provided to veterans in residential treatment 
        settings or domiciliaries that are provided or sponsored by the 
        Secretary under section 1710 of title 38, United States Code.
            (3) Care provided to veterans in therapeutic residences 
        under section 1772 of such title.
            (4) Care provided to veterans in community residential care 
        that is coordinated by the Secretary under section 1730 of such 
        title.
            (5) Care provided to veterans for whom the Secretary 
        provides funds for so-called ``grant and per diem providers'' 
        under sections 3 and 4 of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive 
        Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note).
            (6) Care provided to veterans who have been diagnosed both 
        with serious chronic mental illness and substance abuse 
        disorders.
    (b) Treatment of Funds for New Programs for Homeless Veterans.--The 
Secretary shall ensure that funds for any new program for homeless 
veterans carried out through a Department health care facility are 
designated for the first three years of operation of that pro- gram as 
a special purpose program for which funds are not allocated through the 
Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation system.

SEC. 8. GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a program of grants to health care facilities of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to encourage development by those facilities of 
programs targeted at meeting special needs within the population of 
homeless veterans.
    (b) Special Needs.--For purposes of this section, homeless veterans 
with special needs include homeless veterans who are--
            (1) 50 years of age or older;
            (2) substance abusers;
            (3) persons with post-traumatic stress disorder;
            (4) terminally ill;
            (5) chronically mentally ill; or
            (6) women.
    (c) Study of Outcome Effectiveness.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
study of the effectiveness of the grant program in meeting the needs of 
homeless veterans. As part of the study, the Secretary shall compare 
the results of programs carried out in the grant program under this 
section in terms of veterans' satisfaction, health status, reduction in 
addiction severity, housing, and encouragement of productive activity 
with results for similar veterans in programs of the Department 
designed to meet the general needs of homeless veterans.
    (d) Funding.--From amounts appropriated to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for medical care for each of fiscal year 2001, 2002, 
and 2003, the amount of $5,000,000 shall be available for the purposes 
of the program under this section. Grants under this section to a 
health care facility of the Department shall be treated in the manner 
provided in section 7(b).

SEC. 9. COORDINATION OF SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.

    (a) Joint Outreach Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
acting through the Under Secretary for Health, shall provide for 
appropriate officials of the Mental Health Service and the Readjustment 
Counseling Service of the Veterans Health Administration to initiate a 
coordinated strategy for joint outreach to veterans at risk of 
homelessness, including particularly veterans who are being discharged 
from institutions (including discharges from inpatient psychiatric 
care, substance abuse treatment programs, and penal institutions).
    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The outreach under this section shall 
include the following:
            (1) Mentoring programs and support networks.
            (2) Family support.
            (3) Referrals within the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
        within the community.
            (4) Case management.

SEC. 10. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN INTEGRATED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
              DELIVERY.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish three Centers of Excellence in Integrated Mental Health 
Services Delivery to be located at appropriate Department of Veterans 
Affairs medical centers. In designating the medical centers at which 
the centers shall be located, the Secretary shall consider applications 
that propose delivery models that integrate mental health, substance 
abuse, and medical components of treatment.
    (b) Startup.--The Secretary may use up to $1,000,000 from funds 
available to the Secretary for medical care for startup costs for each 
of the following three models for the centers:
            (1) Mental Health Primary Care Teams.
            (2) Patient assignment to a mental health primary care team 
        that is linked with the patient's medical primary care team.
            (3) Traditional patient assignment to a medical primary 
        care team.
    (c) Study of Effectiveness.--The Secretary shall compare treatment 
outcomes at the different centers for chronically mentally ill veterans 
provided treatment through integrated mental health programs with 
treatment outcomes for similar chronically mentally ill veterans 
provided treatment through traditionally consultative relationships.
    (d) Report and Dissemination of Results.--Upon completion of the 
comparison under subsection (c), the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
a report setting forth the results of that comparison and such 
recommendations as the Secretary may have. Based upon the Secretary's 
conclusions, the Secretary shall disseminate the best practices for 
treatment of mentally ill persons in such manner as the Secretary 
determines appropriate on a nationwide basis.

SEC. 11. DENTAL CARE.

    (a) In General.--For purposes of section 1712(a)(1)(H) of title 38, 
United States Code, a outpatient dental services and treatment of a 
dental condition or disability of a veteran described in subsection (b) 
shall be considered to be a medically necessary if--
            (1) the dental services and treatment are necessary for the 
        veteran to successfully gain or regain employment;
            (2) the dental services and treatment are necessary to 
        alleviate pain; or
            (3) the dental services and treatment are necessary for 
        treatment of moderate, severe, or severe and complicated 
        gingival and periodontal pathology.
    (b) Eligible Veterans.--Subsection (a) applies to a veteran who 
is--
            (1) enrolled for care under paragraph (5) of section 
        1705(a) of title 38, United States Code; and
            (2) who is receiving care (directly or by contract) in any 
        of the following settings:
                    (A) A domiciliary under section 1710 of such title.
                    (B) A therapeutic residence under section 1772 of 
                such title.
                    (C) Community residential care coordinated by the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 1730 of 
                such title.
                    (D) A setting for which the Secretary provides 
                funds for a so-called ``grant and per diem provider'' 
                under sections 3 and 4 of the Homeless Veterans 
                Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 
                7721 note).

SEC. 12. PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSIONS.

    (a) Transitional Housing.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
carry out the transitional housing grant program under section 3 of the 
Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 
7721 note) so as to ensure that there is at least one active 
transitional housing program being supported by such grant program in 
each State (as such term is defined in section 101 of title 38, United 
States Code).
    (b) Comprehensive Homeless Services Program.--(1) The Secretary 
shall provide for the establishment of centers for the provision of 
comprehensive services to homeless veterans under section 2(b) of the 
Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 
7721 note) in at least each of the 20 largest metropolitan statistical 
areas.
    (2) Section 2(b) of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service 
Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking ``no 
more than eight demonstration''.
    (c) Opioid Substitution Therapy.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
opioid substitution therapy is available at each Department of Veterans 
Affairs medical center.
    (d) Program Expiration Extension.--Sections 1771(b) and 1773(d) of 
title 38, United States Code, are amended by striking ``December 31, 
2001'' and inserting ``December 31, 2006''.

SEC. 13. VARIOUS AUTHORITIES.

    (a) Employment Programs.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
authorize homeless veterans receiving care through vocational 
rehabilitation programs to participate in the compensated work therapy 
program.
    (b) Therapeutic Residences.--The Secretary may authorize homeless 
veterans in the compensated work therapy program to be provided housing 
through the therapeutic residence program under section 1772 of title 
38, United States Code.
    (c) Staffing Requirement.--The Secretary shall ensure that there is 
assigned at each Veterans Benefits Administration regional office at 
least one employee assigned specifically to oversee and coordinate 
homeless veterans programs in that region, including the housing 
program for veterans supported by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, housing programs supported by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, the homeless veterans reintegration program of the Department 
of Labor, the assessments required by section 1774 of title 38, United 
States Code, the Comprehensive Homeless Program, and such other duties 
relating to homeless veterans as may be assigned. In any such regional 
office with not fewer than 140 employees, the shall be at least one 
full-time employee assigned to such functions.

SEC. 14. LIFE SAFETY CODE.

    Section 3(b)(5) of the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service 
Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 7721 note) is amended by striking ``, 
but'' and all that follows through ``in carrying out the grant'' and 
inserting ``and the fire and safety standards that the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs uses for comparable Department facilities and for 
comparable facilities with which the Secretary enters into contracts''.

SEC. 15. TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE GRANTS.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out a program of temporary assistance grants to eligible 
homeless veterans in accordance with this section.
    (b) Eligible Veterans.--A veteran is eligible for a temporary 
assistance grant under this section if the veteran--
            (1) is a veteran of a period of war or, if not a veteran of 
        a period of war, meets the minimum serv- ice requirements 
specified in section 5303A of title 38, United States Code;
            (2) is being released, or within the preceding 60 days was 
        released, from an institution, including a homeless shelter or 
        grant per diem program under sections 3 and 4 of the Homeless 
        Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 
        7721 note) ;
            (3) is a homeless veteran immediately before the 
        commencement of assistance under this section; and
            (4) had less than marginal income for the preceding three 
        months.
    (c) Duration of Grant Assistance.--An eligible veteran may be 
provided a temporary assistance grant under this section for no more 
than six months during any two-year period.
    (d) Amount of Grant.--(1) The monthly amount of a grant provided 
under this section to an eligible veteran shall be the sum of the 
following:
            (A) The amount of monthly pension that would be payable to 
        that veteran under chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, 
        if the veteran had a permanent and total nonservice-connected 
        disability.
            (B) An amount not to exceed the lesser of the actual amount 
        incurred by the veteran for child care expenses or 25 percent 
        of the amount under subparagraph (A), if the veteran incurs 
        child care expenses during the month with respect to a child 
        under age 12 or a disabled child of any age in order for the 
        veteran to obtain health care, employment, education, or 
        training.
            (C) An amount not to exceed 30 percent of the amount under 
        subparagraph (A) to the extent that the housing costs 
        (including heating, cooling, and utility costs) of the veteran 
        for that month exceed 30 percent of the veteran's income for 
        that month (including the amount under subparagraph (A)).
    (2) In the case of a veteran who is employed during any month, the 
first $100 of gross income and one half of the remainder of the 
veteran's income for that month shall be excluded in determining the 
income of the veteran for purposes of eligibility for a grant under 
this section and the amount of such a grant.
    (e) Coordination With Other Benefits.--If retroactive benefits from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs are payable to a veteran with 
respect to a month for which the veteran received a temporary 
assistance grant under this section, the amount of such retroactive 
benefit payable for such month shall be reduced (but not below zero) by 
the amount of the temporary assistance grant paid for that month. No 
reduction may be made by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from an 
amount otherwise due a veteran for any month to offset an amount paid 
under this section for a previous month.
    (f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) The term ``veteran'' means a person who served in the 
        active military, naval, or air service (as defined in section 
        101 of title 38, United States Code) and who was discharged or 
        released from any such period of service under conditions other 
        than dishonorable.
            (2) The term ``marginal income'', with respect to a 
        veteran, means income below the poverty standard (as determined 
        by the Bureau of the Census) for a family of the size of the 
        veteran's family.

SEC. 16. EMERGENCY HOMELESS GRANTS.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall carry out a program to provide emergency housing grants to 
eligible veterans in accordance with this section. Under the program 
the Secretary may make a grant to assist with the emergency housing 
expenses of an eligible veteran who has a housing emergency.
    (b) Housing Emergency.--For the purposes of this section, the term 
``housing emergency'', with respect to any month, means the inability 
to pay any of the following expenses in order to secure or maintain 
safe and affordable housing:
            (1) The preceding month's rent, the so-called ``last 
        month's rent'', and any required security deposit, utility 
        deposit, or cleaning deposit.
            (2) Rental arrearages.
            (3) Mortgage arrearages.
            (4) Utility arrearages.
    (c) Eligible Veterans.--A veteran is eligible for an emergency 
homeless grant under this section if the veteran--
            (1) is a veteran of a period of war or, if not a veteran of 
        a period of war, meets the minimum service requirements 
        specified in section 5303A of title 38, United States Code;
            (2) as determined by the Secretary, has a housing emergency 
        or is at risk of homelessness due to a housing emergency; and
            (3) had less than marginal income for the preceding three 
        months or has incurred a loss of income which will reduce the 
        veteran's income below marginal income for the current month.
    (d) Amount of Grant.--The amount of an emergency housing grant 
under this section for a month is the lesser of the veteran's actual 
housing expenses for that month plus arrearages or the amount equal to 
four times the amount of pension that would be payable to the veteran 
for that month under chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, if the 
veteran had a permanent and total nonservice-connected disability, 
assuming the veteran has no dependents.
    (e) Duration of Grant.--An emergency housing grant may be made to a 
veteran under this section once during any 24-month period.
    (f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) The term ``veteran'' means a person who served in the 
        active military, naval, or air service (as defined in section 
        101 of title 38, United States Code) and who was discharged or 
        released from any such period of service under conditions other 
        than dishonorable.
            (2) The term ``marginal income'', with respect to a 
        veteran, means income below the poverty standard (as determined 
        by the Bureau of the Census) for a family of the size of the 
        veteran's family.

SEC. 17. ASSISTANCE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Grant Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out a program to make technical assistance grants to nonprofit 
community-based groups with experience in providing assistance to 
homeless veterans in order to assist such groups in applying for grants 
relating to addressing problems of homeless veterans.
    (b) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs the amount of $750,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2001 through 2005 to carry out the program under this section.

SEC. 18. HOME LOAN PROGRAM FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING.

    In the case of a housing loan under section 3712 of title 38, 
United States Code, for a veteran who, as determined by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, is homeless, the Secretary may waive any otherwise 
applicable requirement under that section that a purchase of a 
manufactured home include purchase of a lot.

SEC. 19. EXTENSION OF HOMELESS VETERANS REINTEGRATION PROGRAM.

    Section 4111(d)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and inserting the following:
            ``(C) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002.
            ``(D) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2003.
            ``(E) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
            ``(F) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
            ``(G) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.''.
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