[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1205 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1205

To require a pilot program on assisting veterans service organizations 
  and other veterans groups in developing and promoting peer support 
programs that facilitate community reintegration of veterans returning 
               from active duty, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 25, 2007

 Mr. Smith (for himself and Mr. Harkin) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require a pilot program on assisting veterans service organizations 
  and other veterans groups in developing and promoting peer support 
programs that facilitate community reintegration of veterans returning 
               from active duty, 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. PILOT PROGRAM ON ASSISTING VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS IN 
              FACILITATING COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION OF VETERANS.

    (a) Program Required.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        carry out a pilot program to demonstrate and assess the 
        feasibility and advisability of delivering community 
        reintegration support and services to veterans by assisting 
        veterans organizations in developing and promoting peer support 
        programs for veterans.
            (2) Designation.--The pilot program required by paragraph 
        (1) shall be known as the ``Heroes Helping Heroes Program''.
    (b) Duration of Program.--The pilot program shall be carried out 
during the three-year period beginning on October 1, 2007.
    (c) Selection of Pilot Program Participants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall select not more than 
        20 eligible entities to participate in the pilot program.
            (2) Application.--Each eligible entity seeking to 
        participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to 
        the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
        such information as the Secretary shall require.
            (3) Selection.--The Secretary shall select participants in 
        the pilot program from among the applicants under paragraph (1) 
        that the Secretary determines--
                    (A)(i) have existing peer support programs that can 
                be expanded or enhanced, and resources, for the 
                delivery of community reintegration support and 
                services to veterans (including mentoring programs, 
                self-help groups, and Internet and other electronic-
                based peer support resources) that are suitable for the 
                pilot program; or
                    (ii) have the capacity, including the skill and 
                resources necessary, to develop and maintain new peer 
                support programs for the delivery of community 
                reintegration support and services (including mentoring 
                programs, self-help groups, and Internet and other 
                electronic-based peer support resources) that are 
                suitable for the pilot program; and
                    (B) have a plan to continue such peer support 
                programs after the pilot program ends.
    (d) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to pilot 
        program participants to develop and promote peer support 
        programs that deliver community reintegration support and 
        services for veterans.
            (2) Amount.--The Secretary shall ensure that the average 
        amount of the grant awarded under paragraph (1) to a pilot 
        program participant is not more than $300,000 and not less than 
        $100,000 per fiscal year.
            (3) Matching funds.--A recipient of a grant under paragraph 
        (1) shall contribute towards the development and promotion of 
        peer support programs that deliver community reintegration 
        support and services to veterans an amount equal to not less 
        than ten percent of the grant awarded to such recipient.
            (4) Duration.--The duration of any grant awarded under 
        paragraph (1) may not exceed three years.
    (e) Use of Funds.--A grant awarded to a pilot program participant 
pursuant to subsection (d) shall be used by the pilot program 
participant for costs and expenses connected with the development and 
promotion of peer support programs that deliver community reintegration 
support and services to veterans, including costs and expenses of the 
following:
            (1) Program staff or a coordinator of volunteers, but not 
        more than 50 percent of such grant award may be used for such 
        purpose in any fiscal year of such pilot program.
            (2) Consultation services, but not more than 20 percent of 
        such grant award may be used for such purpose in any fiscal 
        year of such pilot program.
            (3) Program operations, including costs and expenses 
        relating to the following:
                    (A) Advertising and recruiting.
                    (B) Printing.
                    (C) Training of volunteers, veterans, and staff.
                    (D) Incentives, such as food and awards.
                    (E) Overhead expenses, but not more than ten 
                percent of such grant award may be used for such 
                purposes.
    (f) Technical Assistance.--In addition to the award of grants under 
subsection (d), the Secretary shall provide technical assistance to 
pilot program participants to assist them in developing and promoting 
peer support programs that deliver community reintegration support and 
services to veterans.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a veterans service organization;
                    (B) a not-for-profit organization--
                            (i) the primary mission of which is to 
                        assist veterans;
                            (ii) that has been in continuous operation 
                        for at least 12 months; and
                            (iii) is not a veterans service 
                        organization; or
                    (C) a partnership between an organization described 
                in subparagraph (A) or (B) and an organization that is 
                not described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
            (2) Pilot program participant.--The term ``pilot program 
        participant'' means an eligible entity that is selected by the 
        Secretary, in accordance with subsection (c), to participate in 
        the pilot program under this section.
            (3) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans 
        service organization'' means any organization recognized by the 
        Secretary for the representation of veterans under section 5902 
        of title 38, United States Code.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out this 
section, $4,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010.
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