[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3000 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3000

To amend title 38, United States Code, to include federally recognized 
  tribal organizations in certain grant programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for the several States and territories, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 8, 2008

 Mr. Akaka (for himself and Mr. Inouye) 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 include federally recognized 
  tribal organizations in certain grant programs of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for the several States and territories, 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 ``Native American Veterans Access Act 
of 2008''.

SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS IN 
              CERTAIN GRANT PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS FOR THE STATES AND TERRITORIES.

    (a) Treatment of Tribal Organization Health Facilities as State 
Homes.--Section 8138 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new 
        subsection (e):
    ``(e)(1) A health facility (or certain beds in a health facility) 
of a tribal organization is treatable as a State home under subsection 
(a) in accordance with the provisions of that subsection.
    ``(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the provisions of this 
section shall apply to a health facility (or certain beds in such 
facility) treated as a State home under subsection (a) by reason of 
this subsection to the same extent as health facilities (or beds) 
treated as a State home under subsection (a).
    ``(3) Subsection (f) shall not apply to the treatment of health 
facilities (or certain beds in such facilities) of tribal organizations 
as a State home under subsection (a).
    ``(4) In this subsection, the term `tribal organization' has the 
meaning given such term in section 3764(4) of this title.''.
    (b) State Home Facilities for Domiciliary, Nursing, and Other 
Care.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 81 of such title is further 
        amended--
                    (A) in section 8131, by adding at the end the 
                following new paragraph:
            ``(5) The term `tribal organization' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 3764(4) of this title.'';
                    (B) in section 8132, by inserting ``and tribal 
                organizations'' after ``the several States''; and
                    (C) by inserting after section 8133 the following 
                new section:
``Sec. 8133A. Tribal organizations
    ``(a) The Secretary may make grants to tribal organizations under 
this subchapter in order to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
    ``(b) Grants to tribal organizations under this section shall be 
made in the same manner, and under the same conditions, as grants made 
to the several States under the provisions of this subchapter, subject 
to such exceptions as the Secretary shall prescribe for purposes of 
this subchapter to take into account the unique circumstances of tribal 
organizations.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 81 of such title is amended by inserting 
        after the item relating to section 8133 the following new item:

``8133A. Tribal organizations.''.
    (c) Job Counseling, Training, and Placement Services for 
Veterans.--Section 4101 of such title is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (6), by inserting ``tribal 
        organizations,'' after ``to the extent determined necessary and 
        feasible,''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(9) The term `tribal organization' has the meaning given such 
term in section 3764(4) of this title.''.
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