I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2141 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 28, 2009 Mr. Cohen (for himself, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Rush, Mr. Hare, Mr. Sires, Mr. Gordon of Tennessee, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Ms. Clarke, and Ms. Fudge) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To reform the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Interagency Council on Homelessness Reform Act of 2009.

2.

Mission

Section 201 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11311) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following whose mission shall be to coordinate the Federal response to homelessness and to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the Nation while maximizing the effectiveness of the Federal Government in contributing to the end of homelessness.

3.

Members

Subsection (a) of section 202 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11312(a)) is amended— (1)by redesignating paragraph (16) as paragraph (19); and (2)by inserting after paragraph (15) the following: (16)The Commissioner of Social Security, or the designee of the Commissioner. (17)The Attorney General of the United States, or the designee of the Attorney General. (18)The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or the designee of the Director. .

4.

Meetings

Subsection (c) of section 202 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11312(c)) is amended by striking annually and inserting four times each year, and the rotation of the positions of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson required under subsection (b) shall occur at the first meeting of each year.

5.

Executive director

(a)

Senate confirmation

Subsection (a) of section 204 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11314(a)) is amended— (1)by striking The Council shall appoint an Executive Director and inserting The President shall appoint an Executive Director, with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall serve at the pleasure of the President, and; (2)by striking the last sentence. (b)

Reporting to Director of Domestic Policy Council

Section 202 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11312) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (e)

Administration

The Executive Director of the Council shall report to the Director of Domestic Policy Council. .

6.

Duties

Section 203 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11313) is amended—— (1)in subsection (a)— (A)by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7) as paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (10), (11), and (12), respectively; (B)by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated by paragraph (1), the following: (1)not later than the expiration of the 12-month period beginning upon the date of the enactment of the Interagency Council on Homelessness Reform Act of 2009, develop, make available for public comment, and submit to the President and to the Congress a national plan to end homelessness for all Americans, setting forth actions to accomplish such goal, and update such plan every 2 years; ; (C)in paragraph (3), as so redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: and ensure that related programs and activities to assist homeless individuals of Federal agencies are coordinated with each other; and (D)by inserting after paragraph (5), as so redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the following: (6)develop constructive alternatives to criminalizing homelessness and eliminate laws and policies that prohibit sleeping, feeding, sitting, resting, or lying in public spaces when there are no suitable alternatives, result in the destruction of a homeless person's property without due process, or are selectively enforced against homeless persons; (7)makes recommendations, in the reports submitted pursuant to subsection (b) on— (A)long-term goals for the Congress to reduce homelessness; and (B)legislative strategies for the Congress to achieve such goals; (8)evaluate the Federal role in interacting and coordinating with State and local entities that address homelessness; (9)conduct research and develop methods— (A)through consultation with State and local agencies, to improve coordination between the Council and Federal agencies in existence upon the date of enactment of the Interagency Council on Homelessness Reform Act of 2009 that specifically deal with homelessness; and (B)to minimize the period during which individuals remain homeless; ; and (2)in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: (3)

Biennial report

The Council shall prepare and transmit to the President and the Congress a biennial report detailing the efforts of the Council to address homelessness. (4)

Public availability

The Council shall make each report submitted to the Congress pursuant to this paragraph, or paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection, and the national plan and updates of such plan submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (a), publicly available, including through posting on a World Wide Web site maintained by the Council. .

7.

Authorization of appropriations

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is amended by striking section 208 (42 U.S.C. 11318) and inserting the following:

208.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2015. Any amounts appropriated to carry out this title shall remain available until expended.

.