[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2612 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2612

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of 
  Veterans Affairs to provide specially adapted housing assistance to 
veterans with permanent and total service-connected disabilities due to 
the loss, or loss of use of both upper extremities such as to preclude 
                use of the arms at and below the elbows.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2003

Mr. Michaud (for himself and 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 authorize the Secretary of 
  Veterans Affairs to provide specially adapted housing assistance to 
veterans with permanent and total service-connected disabilities due to 
the loss, or loss of use of both upper extremities such as to preclude 
                use of the arms at and below the elbows.

    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 Adapted Housing Expansion 
Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING TO CERTAIN 
              DISABLED VETERANS.

    The text of section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Acquistion of Housing With Special Features.--(1) Subject to 
paragraph (3), the Secretary may assist a disabled veteran described in 
paragraph (2) in acquiring a suitable housing unit with special 
fixtures or movable facilities made necessary by the nature of the 
veteran's disability, and necessary land therefor.
    ``(2) A veteran is described in this paragraph if the veteran is 
entitled to compensation under chapter 11 of this title for a permanent 
and total service-connected disability that meets any of the following 
criteria:
            ``(A) The disability is due to the loss, or loss of use, of 
        both lower extremities such as to preclude locomotion without 
        the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair.
            ``(B) The disabilty is due to--
                    ``(i) blindness in both eyes, having only light 
                perception, plus
                    ``(ii) loss or loss of use of one lower extremity.
            ``(C) The disability is due to the loss or loss of use of 
        one lower extremity together with--
                    ``(i) residuals of organic disease or injury; or
                    ``(ii) the loss or loss of use of one upper 
                extremity,
        which so affect the functions of balance or propulsion as to 
        preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, 
        or a wheelchair.
            ``(D) The disability is due to the loss, or loss of use, of 
        both upper extremities such as to preclude use of the arms at 
        and below the elbows.
    ``(3) The regulations prescribed under subsection (c) shall require 
that assistance under paragraph (1) may be provided to a veteran only 
if the Secretary finds that--
            ``(A) it is medically feasible for the veteran to reside in 
        the proposed housing unit and in the proposed locality;
            ``(B) the proposed housing unit bears a proper relation to 
        the veteran's present and anticipated income and expenses; and
            ``(C) the nature and condition of the proposed housing unit 
        are such as to be suitable to the veteran's needs for dwelling 
        purposes.
    ``(b) Adaptations to Residence of Veteran.--(1) Subject to 
paragraph (3), the Secretary shall assist any disabled veteran 
described in paragraph (2) (other than a veteran who is eligible for 
assistance under subsection (a))--
            ``(A) in acquiring such adaptations to such veteran's 
        residence as are determined by the Secretary to be reasonably 
        necessary because of such disability; or
            ``(B) in acquiring a residence already adapted with special 
        features determined by the Secretary to be reasonably necessary 
        for the veteran because of such disability.
    ``(2) A veteran is described in this paragraph if the veteran is 
entitled to compensation under chapter 11 of this title for a permanent 
and total service-connected disability that meets either of the 
following criteria:
            ``(A) The disability is due to blindness in both eyes with 
        5/200 visual acuity or less.
            ``(B) The disability includes the anatomical loss or loss 
        of use of both hands.
    ``(3) Assistance under paragraph (1) may be provided only to a 
veteran who the Secretary determines--
            ``(A) is residing in and reasonably intends to continue 
        residing in a residence owned by such veteran or by a member of 
        such veteran's family; or
            ``(B) if the veteran's residence is to be constructed or 
        purchased, will be residing in and reasonably intends to 
        continue residing in a residence owned by such veteran or by a 
        member of such veteran's family.
    ``(c) Regulations.--Assistance under this section shall be provided 
in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescirbe.''.
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