[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1096 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1096

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain housing 
  benefits to disabled members of the Armed Forces, to expand certain 
    benefits for disabled veterans with severe burns, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 12, 2007

  Mr. Cornyn (for himself, Mr. Craig, Mr. Akaka, and Mrs. Hutchison) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide certain housing 
  benefits to disabled members of the Armed Forces, to expand certain 
    benefits for disabled veterans with severe burns, 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' Housing Benefits 
Enhancement Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. HOME IMPROVEMENTS AND STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS FOR TOTALLY 
              DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES BEFORE DISCHARGE OR 
              RELEASE FROM THE ARMED FORCES.

    Section 1717 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d)(1) In the case of a member of the Armed Forces who, as 
determined by the Secretary, has a total disability permanent in nature 
incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, 
naval, or air service, the Secretary may furnish improvements and 
structural alterations for such member for such disability or as 
otherwise described in subsection (a)(2) while such member is 
hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or 
treatment for such disability if the Secretary determines that such 
member is likely to be discharged or released from the Armed Forces for 
such disability.
    ``(2) The furnishing of improvements and alterations under 
paragraph (1) in connection with the furnishing of medical services 
described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (a)(2) shall be 
subject to the limitation specified in the applicable subparagraph.''.

SEC. 3. SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR DISABLED VETERANS WITH 
              SEVERE BURNS.

    Section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the end the 
        following new subparagraph:
            ``(E) The disability is due to a severe burn injury (as 
        determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the 
        Secretary).''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``either'' and inserting ``any''; 
                and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(C) The disability is due to a severe burn injury (as so 
        determined).''.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING FOR DISABLED VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than December 31, 2007, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report that contains an assessment of the adequacy of 
the authorities available to the Secretary under law to assist disabled 
veterans in acquiring--
            (1) suitable housing units with special fixtures or movable 
        facilities required for their disabilities, and necessary land 
        therefor;
            (2) such adaptations to their residences as are reasonably 
        necessary because of their disabilities; or
            (3) residences already adapted with special features 
        determined by the Secretary to be reasonably necessary as a 
        result of their disabilities.
    (b) Focus on Particular Disabilities.--The report required by 
subsection (a) shall pay particular attention to the needs of veterans 
who have disabilities that are not described in subsections (a)(2) and 
(b)(2) of section 2101 of title 38, United States Code.

SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY OF DISABLED VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
              FORCES WITH SEVERE BURN INJURIES FOR AUTOMOBILES AND 
              ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT.

    Section 3901(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
                ``or (iii)'' and inserting ``(iii), or (iv)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                    ``(iv) A severe burn injury (as determined pursuant 
                to regulations prescribed by the Secretary); or''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or (iii)'' and 
        inserting ``(iii), or (iv)''.

SEC. 6. ADAPTED HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
              FORCES RESIDING TEMPORARILY IN HOUSING OWNED BY A FAMILY 
              MEMBER.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 2102A of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``In the case'';
            (2) by striking ``disabled veteran who is described in 
        subsection (a)(2) or (b)(2) of section 2101 of this title and'' 
        and inserting ``person described in paragraph (2)'';
            (3) by striking ``such veteran's'' and inserting ``the 
        person's'';
            (4) by striking ``the veteran'' and inserting ``the 
        person'';
            (5) by striking ``the veteran's'' and inserting ``the 
        person's''; and
            (6) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) A person described in this paragraph is--
            ``(A) a veteran who is described in subsection (a)(2) or 
        (b)(2) of section 2101 of this title; or
            ``(B) a member of the Armed Forces who--
                    ``(i) has, as determined by the Secretary, a 
                disability permanent in nature described in subsection 
                (a)(2) or (b)(2) of section 2101 of this title that has 
                incurred in the line of duty in the active military, 
                naval, or air service;
                    ``(ii) is hospitalized or receiving outpatient 
                medical care, services, or treatment for such 
                disability; and
                    ``(iii) is likely to be discharged or released from 
                the Armed Forces for such disability.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Such section is further amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``veteran'' both places 
        it appears and inserting ``person with a disability''; and
            (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``veteran'' and 
        inserting ``person''.
    (c) Report on Assistance for Disabled Veterans and Members of the 
Armed Forces Who Reside in Housing Owned by Family Member on Permanent 
Basis.--Not later than December 31, 2007, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a report on the advisability of providing assistance 
under section 2102A of title 38, United States Code, to veterans and 
members of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a) of such 
section, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, who reside with 
family members on a permanent basis.
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