[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2518 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2518

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consolidation and 
  improvement of programs to assist homeless veterans, to provide for 
    management by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of the Military 
Personnel Records facility of the National Personnel Records Center in 
              St. Louis, Missouri, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 19, 2003

   Mr. Smith of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the 
    Committee on Government Reform, 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 provide for consolidation and 
  improvement of programs to assist homeless veterans, to provide for 
    management by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of the Military 
Personnel Records facility of the National Personnel Records Center in 
              St. Louis, Missouri, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Affairs Reorganization Act 
of 2003''.

SEC. 2. OFFICE IN DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO MANAGE ASSISTANCE 
              PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) Establishment of Office.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 320. Office of Homeless Veterans Assistance Programs
    ``(a) There is in the Department an Office of Homeless Veterans 
Assistance Programs. There is at the head of the Office a Director.
    ``(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided by law or by the 
Secretary, the Secretary shall carry out through the Director all 
functions of the Secretary under chapter 20 of this title and under any 
other program of the Department for the provision of assistance to 
homeless veterans.
    ``(c) As part of the annual report on assistance to homeless 
veterans required under section 2065 of this title for years beginning 
with 2004, the Secretary shall include a description of any function 
referred to in subsection (b) that the Secretary has determined (during 
the year involved) to carry out other than through the Director, and 
the rationale for that determination.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``320. Office of Homeless Veterans Assistance Programs.''.

SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF HOMELESS VETERAN REINTEGRATION PROGRAM FROM 
              DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Transfer of Functions.--The functions of the Secretary of Labor 
under section 2021 of title 38, United States Code, are hereby 
transferred to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 2021 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``of Labor'' each place it appears in 
        subsection (a), (b), and (d);
            (2) by striking ``that Secretary'' in subsection (b)(1) and 
        inserting ``the Secretary''; and
            (3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
    ``(c) Administration.--The Secretary shall carry out this section 
through the Office of Homeless Veterans Assistance Programs.''.

SEC. 4. TRANSFER OF OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL 
              RECORDS FACILITY OF NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER, 
              ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

    (a) In General.--The Archivist of the United States shall transfer 
operational responsibility (including the management and supervision of 
the delivery of services) for the Military Personnel Records facility 
of the National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, Missouri, to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Memorandum of Agreement.--The Archivist and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall enter into a memorandum of agreement as to the 
manner in which subsection (a) shall be carried out.
    (c) Implementation.--The memorandum of agreement under subsection 
(b) shall be entered into not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (d) Effective Date.--The transfer required by subsection (a) shall 
be carried out as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
                                 <all>