[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2559 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2559

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to 
               homeless veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 15, 2011

   Mr. Deutch (for himself, Mr. Israel, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. 
   Richardson, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. 
 McGovern, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Engel, 
  Ms. Slaughter, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hastings of Florida, and Mr. Rooney) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements in 
the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to 
               homeless veterans, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

                   TITLE I--HOMELESS VETERANS MATTERS

SECTION 101. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Homeless Heroes Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 102. ENHANCEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS.

    (a) Enhancement of Grants.--Section 2011 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by striking ``expansion, 
        remodeling, or alteration of existing facilities, or 
        acquisition of facilities,'' and inserting ``new construction 
        of facilities, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of existing 
        facilities, or acquisition of facilities''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``A grant'' 
                and inserting ``(1) A grant'';
                    (B) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), as 
                designated by subparagraph (A), by striking ``The 
                amount'' and inserting the following:
            ``(2) The amount''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3)(A) The Secretary may not deny an application from an 
        entity that seeks a grant under this section to carry out a 
        project described in subsection (b)(1)(A) solely on the basis 
        that the entity proposes to use funding from other private or 
        public sources, if the entity demonstrates that a private 
        nonprofit organization will provide oversight and site control 
        for the project.
                    ``(B) In this paragraph, the term `private 
                nonprofit organization' means the following:
                            ``(i) An incorporated private institution, 
                        organization, or foundation--
                                    ``(I) that has received, or has 
                                temporary clearance to receive, tax-
                                exempt status under paragraph (2), (3), 
                                or (19) of section 501(c) of the 
                                Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
                                    ``(II) for which no part of the net 
                                earnings of the institution, 
                                organization, or foundation inures to 
                                the benefit of any member, founder, or 
                                contributor of the institution, 
                                organization, or foundation; and
                                    ``(III) that the Secretary 
                                determines is financially responsible.
                            ``(ii) A for-profit limited partnership or 
                        limited liability company, the sole general 
                        partner or manager of which is an organization 
                        that is described by subclauses (I) through 
                        (III) of clause (i).
                            ``(iii) A corporation wholly owned and 
                        controlled by an organization that is described 
                        by subclauses (I) through (III) of clause 
                        (i).''.
    (b) Grant and Per Diem Payments.--
            (1) Study and development of fiscal controls and payment 
        method.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        shall--
                    (A) complete a study of all matters relating to the 
                method used by the Secretary to make per diem payments 
                under section 2012(a) of title 38, United States Code; 
                and
                    (B) develop an improved method for adequately 
                reimbursing recipients of grants under section 2011 of 
                such title for services furnished to homeless veterans.
            (2) Consideration.--In developing the method required by 
        paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary may consider payments and 
        grants received by recipients of grants described in such 
        paragraph from other departments and agencies of Federal and 
        local governments and from private entities.
            (3) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
        report on--
                    (A) the findings of the Secretary with respect to 
                the study required by subparagraph (A) of paragraph 
                (1);
                    (B) the method developed under subparagraph (B) of 
                such paragraph; and
                    (C) any recommendations of the Secretary for 
                revising the method described in subparagraph (A) of 
                such paragraph and any legislative action the Secretary 
                considers necessary to implement such method.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 2013 of such title is 
amended by striking ``subchapter'' and all that follows through the 
period and inserting the following: ``subchapter amounts as follows:
            ``(1) $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 
        2009.
            ``(2) $175,100,000 for fiscal year 2010.
            ``(3) $217,700,000 for fiscal year 2011.
            ``(4) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
            ``(5) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2013 and each fiscal 
        year thereafter.''.

SEC. 103. MODIFICATION OF GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH 
              SPECIAL NEEDS.

    (a) Inclusion of Entities Eligible for Comprehensive Service 
Program Grants and Per Diem Payments for Services to Homeless 
Veterans.--Subsection (a) of section 2061 of such title is amended--
            (1) by striking ``to grant and per diem providers'' and 
        inserting ``to entities eligible for grants and per diem 
        payments under sections 2011 and 2012 of this title''; and
            (2) by striking ``by those facilities and providers'' and 
        inserting ``by those facilities and entities''.
    (b) Inclusion of Male Homeless Veterans With Minor Dependents.--
Subsection (b) of such section is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``, including women who 
        have care of minor dependents'';
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or'';
            (3) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(5) individuals who have care of minor dependents.''.
    (c) Authorization of Provision of Services to Dependents.--Such 
section is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
        subsection (c):
    ``(c) Provision of Services to Dependents.--A recipient of a grant 
under subsection (a) may use amounts under the grant to provide 
services directly to a dependent of a homeless veteran with special 
needs who is under the care of such homeless veteran while such 
homeless veteran receives services from the grant recipient under this 
section.''.

SEC. 104. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY FOR PROVISION OF TREATMENT AND 
              REHABILITATION TO CERTAIN VETERANS TO INCLUDE PROVISION 
              OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION TO HOMELESS VETERANS WHO 
              ARE NOT SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL.

    Section 2031(a) of such title is amended in the matter before 
paragraph (1) by striking ``, including'' and inserting ``and to''.

SEC. 105. PLAN TO END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to Congress a comprehensive plan to end homelessness among veterans.
    (b) Elements.--The plan required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) An analysis of programs of the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs and other departments and agencies of the Federal 
        Government that are designed to prevent homelessness among 
        veterans and assist veterans who are homeless.
            (2) An evaluation of whether and how coordination between 
        the programs described in paragraph (1) would contribute to 
        ending homelessness among veterans.
            (3) Recommendations for improving the programs described in 
        paragraph (1), enhancing coordination between such programs, or 
        eliminating programs that are no longer effective.
            (4) Recommendations for new programs to prevent and end 
        homelessness among veterans, including an estimate of the cost 
        of such programs.
            (5) A timeline for implementing the plan, including 
        milestones to track the implementation of the plan.
            (6) Benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of the plan and 
        the efforts of the Secretary to implement the plan.
            (7) Such other matters as the Secretary considers 
        necessary.
    (c) Consideration of Veterans Located in Rural Areas.--The 
analysis, evaluation, and recommendations included in the report 
required by subsection (a) shall include consideration of the 
circumstances and requirements that are unique to veterans located in 
rural areas.

SEC. 106. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITIES RELATING TO HOMELESS 
              VETERANS.

    (a) Health Care for Homeless Veterans.--Section 2031(b) of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``December 31, 2011'' 
and inserting ``December 31, 2012''.
    (b) Centers for Provision of Comprehensive Services to Homeless 
Veterans.--Section 2033(d) of such title is amended by striking 
``December 31, 2011'' and inserting ``December 31, 2014''.
    (c) Property Transfers for Housing Assistance for Homeless 
Veterans.--Section 2041(c) of such title is amended by striking 
``December 31, 2011'' and inserting ``December 31, 2014''.
    (d) Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.--Section 2066(d) of 
such title is amended by striking ``December 30, 2011'' and inserting 
``December 30, 2013''.

SEC. 107. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS 
              REINTEGRATION PROGRAM.

    Section 2021(e)(1) of such title is amended adding at the end the 
following new subparagraph:
            ``(G) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.''.

SEC. 108. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 
              FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN 
              FAMILIES IN PERMANENT HOUSING.

    (a) In General.--Section 2044(e) of such title is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following 
        new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``2011'' and inserting 
        ``2012''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--Paragraph (1) of such subsection is 
further amended by striking ``carry out subsection (a), (b), and (c)'' 
and inserting ``carry out subsections (a), (b), and (c)''.

SEC. 109. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR GRANT PROGRAM FOR 
              HOMELESS VETERANS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

    Section 2061(c)(1) of such title is amended by striking ``2011'' 
and inserting ``2013''.
                                 <all>