[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2273 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2273

    To enhance the functioning and integration of formerly homeless 
   veterans who reside in permanent housing, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 31, 2007

 Mr. Akaka (by request) introduced the following bill; which was read 
        twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To enhance the functioning and integration of formerly homeless 
   veterans who reside in permanent housing, 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 ``Enhanced Opportunities for Formerly 
Homeless Veterans Residing in Permanent Housing Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO ENTITIES THAT COORDINATE THE PROVISION OF SUPPORTIVE 
              SERVICES TO FORMERLY HOMELESS VETERANS RESIDING ON 
              QUALIFYING MILITARY PROPERTY.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) Subject to the availability of appropriations for such 
        purpose, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out a 
        pilot program to make grants to public and non-profit 
        (including faith-based and community) organizations to 
        coordinate the provision of supportive services available in 
        the local community to very low income, formerly homeless 
        veterans residing in permanent housing that is located on 
        qualifying property.
            (2) The Secretary may make grants at up to 10 qualifying 
        properties under the pilot program.
    (b) Qualifying Property.--A military installation closed in 
accordance with the 2005 base realignment and closure process (pursuant 
to the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990 (BRAC), as 
amended), and the property disposal provisions of chapter 5 of title 
40, United States Code (formerly the Federal Property and 
Administrative Property Act of 1949) that the Secretary of Defense 
determines, after consideration of the local redevelopment authority's 
redevelopment plan, may be used to assist the homeless in accordance 
with the redevelopment plan.
    (c) Criteria for Grants.--The Secretary shall prescribe criteria 
and requirements for grants under this section and shall publish such 
criteria and requirements in the Federal Register.
    (d) Duration of Program.--The authority of the Secretary to provide 
grants under a pilot program under this section will cease on the date 
that is five years after the date of the commencement of that pilot 
program.
    (e) Definition.--For purposes of this section, ``very low income'' 
has the same meaning as that used in the Resident Characteristics 
Report issued annually by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development.
    (f) Authorization for the Appropriation of Funds.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated from amounts made available under the 
heading ``General Operating Expenses'', not more than $3,000,000 in 
each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to carry out the purposes of 
this section.

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO ENTITIES THAT COORDINATE THE PROVISION OF SUPPORTIVE 
              SERVICES TO FORMERLY HOMELESS VETERANS RESIDING IN 
              PERMANENT HOUSING.

    (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.--
            (1) Subject to the availability of appropriations for such 
        purpose, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out a 
        pilot program to make grants to public and non-profit 
        (including faith-based and community) organizations to 
        coordinate the provision of supportive services available in 
        the local community to very low income, formerly homeless 
        veterans residing in permanent housing.
            (2) The Secretary may make grants at up to 10 qualifying 
        properties under the pilot program.
    (b) Qualifying Property.--Any property in the United States on 
which permanent housing is provided or afforded to formerly homeless 
veterans, as determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Criteria for Grants.--The Secretary shall prescribe criteria 
and requirements for grants under this section and shall publish such 
criteria and requirements in the Federal Register.
    (d) Duration of Pilot Program.--The authority of the Secretary to 
provide grants under a pilot program under this section will cease on 
the date that is five years after the date of the commencement of that 
pilot program.
    (e) Definition.--For purposes of this section, ``very low income'' 
has the same meaning as that used in the Resident Characteristics 
Report issued annually by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development.
    (f) Authorization for the Appropriation of Funds.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated from amounts made available under the 
heading ``General Operating Expenses'', not more than $3,000,000 in 
each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to carry out the purposes of 
this section.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO ENTITIES FOR PENSION OUTREACH.

    (a) Authority To Make Grants.--In addition to the outreach 
authority provided to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by section 7722 
of title 38 United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
carry out a pilot program to make grants to public and non-profit 
(including faith-based and community) organizations for services to 
provide outreach to inform low-income and elderly veterans and their 
spouses who reside in rural areas of benefits for which they may be 
eligible under chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code.
    (b) Criteria for Grants.--The Secretary shall prescribe criteria 
and requirements for grants under this section and shall publish such 
criteria and requirements in the Federal Register.
    (c) Duration of Pilot Program.--The authority of the Secretary to 
provide grants under a pilot program under this section will cease on 
the date that is five years after the date of the commencement of that 
pilot program.
    (d) Authorization for the Appropriation of Funds.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated from amounts made available under the 
heading ``General Operating Expenses'', not more than $1,275,000 in 
each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to carry out the purposes of 
this section.

SEC. 5. GRANTS TO ENTITIES THAT ASSIST ELIGIBLE TRANSITIONING 
              INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION 
              ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES.

    (a) Authority To Make Grants.--
            (1) Subject to the availability of appropriations provided 
        for such purpose as authorized under subsection (i) of this 
        section, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may carry out a 
        pilot program to make grants to eligible entities to establish 
        new programs or activities, or expand or modify existing 
        programs or activities, for the purpose of furnishing the 
        following services and assistance to each eligible 
        transitioning individual who is entitled and eligible for a 
        rehabilitation program (hereinafter referred to in this section 
        as a ``rehabilitation program'') under chapter 31 of title 38, 
        United States Code:
                    (A) Transportation assistance, which may include 
                providing transportation, paying for or reimbursing 
                transportation costs, and paying for or reimbursing 
                other transportation-related expenses (including 
                orientation on the use of transportation) to facilitate 
                an eligible individual's participation in a 
                rehabilitation program or related activities.
                    (B) Childcare assistance, which may include 
                childcare services or reimbursement of expenses related 
                to childcare to facilitate an eligible individual's 
                participation in a rehabilitation program or related 
                activities.
                    (C) Clothing assistance, which may include personal 
                services in selecting, and payment of a monetary 
                allowance to cover the cost of purchasing, clothing and 
                accessories suitable for job interviews or related 
                activities consistent with an individual's 
                participation in a rehabilitation program or related 
                activities.
            (2) The Secretary is authorized to make grants under this 
        section during the period beginning on October 1, 2007, and 
        ending on September 30, 2010.
    (b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            (1) the term ``eligible entities'' means public and non-
        profit organizations (including faith-based and community 
        organizations) approved by the Secretary under subsection (e) 
        of this section for the purpose of assisting individuals who 
        are eligible for vocational rehabilitation assistance and 
        services under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code; and
            (2) the term ``eligible transitioning individual'' means a 
        person described in section 3102 of title 38, United States 
        Code, or an individual who was separated or released from 
        active military, naval, or air service due to a service-
        connected disability on or after October 1, 2006.
    (c) Criteria for Grants.--The Secretary shall establish criteria 
and requirements for grants under this section, including criteria for 
entities eligible to receive grants, and shall publish such criteria 
and requirements in the Federal Register. The criteria established 
under this subsection shall include the following:
            (1) Specification as to the kinds of projects or activities 
        for which grants are available.
            (2) Specification as to the number of projects or 
        activities for which grants are available.
            (3) Provisions to ensure that grants under this section 
        shall not result in duplication of ongoing services.
    (d) Duration of Pilot Program.--The authority of the Secretary to 
provide grants under a pilot program under this section will cease on 
the date that is three years after the date of the commencement of that 
pilot program.
    (e) Funding Limitation.--A grant under this section may not be used 
to support eligible entities' operational costs.
    (f) Eligible Entities.--The Secretary may make a grant under this 
section to an entity applying for such a grant only if the applicant 
for the grant--
            (1) is a public or nonprofit private entity with the 
        capacity (as determined by the Secretary) to effectively 
        administer a grant under this section;
            (2) demonstrates that adequate financial support will be 
        available to carry out the project or activity for which the 
        grant is sought consistent with the plans, specifications, and 
        schedule submitted by the applicant; and
            (3) agrees to meet the applicable criteria and requirements 
        established under subsections (c) and (g) and has, as 
        determined by the Secretary, the capacity to meet such criteria 
        and requirements.
    (g) Application Requirement.--An entity seeking a grant for a 
project or activity under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
application for the grant. The application shall set forth the 
following:
            (1) The amount of the grant sought for the project or 
        activity.
            (2) Plans, specifications, and the schedule for 
        implementation of the project or activity in accordance with 
        criteria and requirements prescribed by the Secretary under 
        subsection (c).
    (h) Program Requirements.--The Secretary may not make a grant for a 
project or activity to an applicant under this section unless the 
applicant in the application for the grant agrees to each of the 
following requirements:
            (1) To provide the services for which the grant is made at 
        locations accessible to eligible individuals.
            (2) To ensure the confidentiality of records maintained on 
        eligible individuals receiving services through the project.
            (3) To establish such procedures for fiscal control and 
        fund accounting as may be necessary to ensure proper 
        disbursement and accounting with respect to the grant and to 
        such payments as may be made under this section.
    (i) Recovery of Unused Grant Funds.--
            (1) If a grant recipient under this section--
                    (A) does not establish a program or activity in 
                accordance with this section; or
                    (B) ceases to furnish services under such a program 
                for which the grant was made,
        the United States shall be entitled to recover from such 
        recipient the total of all unused grant amounts made under this 
        section to such recipient in connection with such program.
            (2) Any amount recovered by the United States under 
        paragraph (1) may be obligated by the Secretary without fiscal 
        year limitation to carry out provisions of this section.
            (3) An amount may not be recovered under paragraph (1)(A) 
        as an unused grant amount before the end of the three-year 
        period beginning on the date on which the grant is made.
    (j) Authorization for the Appropriation of Funds.--There is 
authorized to be appropriated from amounts made available under the 
heading ``General Operating Expenses'', not more than $5,000,000 in 
each of fiscal years 2008 through 2010 to carry out the purposes of 
this section.

SEC. 6. ASSESSMENT OF PILOT PROGRAMS.

    (a) Not less than one year before the expiration of the authority 
to carry out the pilot programs authorized in sections 2 through 5 of 
this bill, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide a progress 
report to the Congress for each of the pilot programs that includes key 
measures and lessons that the Secretary can apply to programs with 
similar purposes, as well as recommendations on whether or not to 
continue each program.
    (b) Key measures that the Secretary shall report on include the 
number of veterans and dependents served by the pilot programs, quality 
of service to veterans and dependents, the amount of funds provided to 
grant recipients, and the names of organizations that have received 
grants.
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