[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 684 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 684

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of 
        services for homeless veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 10, 2015

 Mr. Burr (for himself and Mr. Manchin) 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 improve the provision of 
        services for 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,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. INCREASED PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE 
              THAT BECOMES PERMANENT HOUSING FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Section 2012(a)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as 
        subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively;
            (2) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated, by striking ``in 
        subparagraph (D)'' and inserting ``in subparagraph (E)'';
            (3) in subparagraph (D), as redesignated, by striking 
        ``under subparagraph (B)'' and inserting ``under subparagraph 
        (C)'';
            (4) in subparagraph (E), as redesignated, by striking ``in 
        subparagraphs (B) and (C)'' and inserting ``in subparagraphs 
        (C) and (D)''; and
            (5) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) by striking ``The rate'' and inserting ``Except 
                as otherwise provided in subparagraph (B), the rate''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``under subparagraph (B)'' and all 
                that follows through the end and inserting the 
                following: ``under subparagraph (C).
    ``(B)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), in no case may the rate 
determined under this paragraph exceed the rate authorized for State 
homes for domiciliary care under subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 1741 
of this title, as the Secretary may increase from time to time under 
subsection (c) of that section.
    ``(ii) In the case of services furnished to a homeless veteran who 
is placed in housing that will become permanent housing for the veteran 
upon termination of the furnishing of such services to such veteran, 
the maximum rate of per diem authorized under this section is 150 
percent of the rate described in clause (i).''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR FURNISHING CARE TO 
              DEPENDENTS OF CERTAIN HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Subsection (a) of section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(4) Services for which a recipient of a grant under section 2011 
of this title (or an entity described in paragraph (1)) may receive per 
diem payments under this subsection may include furnishing care for a 
dependent of a homeless veteran who is under the care of such homeless 
veteran while such homeless veteran receives services from the grant 
recipient (or entity).''.

SEC. 4. PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES TO PROVIDE LEGAL 
              SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT RISK OF 
              HOMELESSNESS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 20 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 2022 the following new section:
``Sec. 2022A. Partnerships with public and private entities to provide 
              legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk 
              of homelessness
    ``(a) Partnerships Authorized.--Subject to the availability of 
funds for that purpose, the Secretary may enter into partnerships with 
public or private entities to fund a portion of the general legal 
services specified in subsection (c) that are provided by such entities 
to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness.
    ``(b) Locations.--The Secretary shall ensure that, to the extent 
practicable, partnerships under this section are made with entities 
equitably distributed across the geographic regions of the United 
States, including rural communities and tribal lands.
    ``(c) Legal Services.--Legal services specified in this subsection 
include legal services provided by public or private entities that 
address the needs of homeless veterans and veterans at risk of 
homelessness as follows:
            ``(1) Legal services related to housing, including eviction 
        defense and representation in landlord-tenant cases.
            ``(2) Legal services related to family law, including 
        assistance in court proceedings for child support, divorce, and 
        estate planning.
            ``(3) Legal services related to income support, including 
        assistance in obtaining public benefits.
            ``(4) Legal services related to criminal defense, including 
        defense in matters symptomatic of homelessness, such as 
        outstanding warrants, fines, and driver's license revocation, 
        to reduce recidivism and facilitate the overcoming of reentry 
        obstacles in employment or housing.
    ``(d) Consultation.--In developing and carrying out partnerships 
under this section, the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, 
consult with public and private entities--
            ``(1) for assistance in identifying and contacting 
        organizations described in subsection (c); and
            ``(2) to coordinate appropriate outreach relationships with 
        such organizations.
    ``(e) Reports.--The Secretary may require entities that have 
entered into partnerships under this section to submit to the Secretary 
periodic reports on legal services provided to homeless veterans and 
veterans at risk of homelessness pursuant to such partnerships.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 20 of such title is amended by adding after the item relating 
to section 2022 the following new item:

``2022A. Partnerships with public and private entities to provide legal 
                            services to homeless veterans and veterans 
                            at risk of homelessness.''.

SEC. 5. EXPANSION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AUTHORITY TO 
              PROVIDE DENTAL CARE TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

    Subsection (b) of section 2062 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Eligible Veterans.--(1) Subsection (a) applies to a veteran 
who--
            ``(A) is enrolled for care under section 1705(a) of this 
        title; and
            ``(B) for a period of 60 consecutive days, is receiving--
                    ``(i) assistance under section 8(o) of the United 
                States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)); or
                    ``(ii) care (directly or by contract) in any of the 
                following settings:
                            ``(I) A domiciliary under section 1710 of 
                        this title.
                            ``(II) A therapeutic residence under 
                        section 2032 of this title.
                            ``(III) Community residential care 
                        coordinated by the Secretary under section 1730 
                        of this title.
                            ``(IV) A setting for which the Secretary 
                        provides funds for a grant and per diem 
                        provider.
    ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), in determining whether a 
veteran has received assistance or care for a period of 60 consecutive 
days, the Secretary may disregard breaks in the continuity of 
assistance or care for which the veteran is not responsible.''.

SEC. 6. REPEAL OF SUNSET ON AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT PROGRAM OF REFERRAL 
              AND COUNSELING SERVICES FOR VETERANS AT RISK FOR 
              HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE TRANSITIONING FROM CERTAIN 
              INSTITUTIONS.

    Section 2023 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (d); and
            (2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).

SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SUPPORTIVE 
              SERVICES FOR VERY LOW-INCOME VETERAN FAMILIES IN 
              PERMANENT HOUSING.

    (a) In General.--Paragraph (1) of section 2044(e) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph (F):
            ``(F) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2016.''.
    (b) Training Entities for Provision of Supportive Services.--
Paragraph (3) of such section is amended by inserting ``and 2015'' 
after ``through 2012''.

SEC. 8. REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO ASSESS 
              COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall assess 
and measure the capacity of programs for which entities receive grants 
under section 2011 of title 38, United States Code, or per diem 
payments under section 2012 or 2061 of such title.
    (b) Assessment at National and Local Levels.--In assessing and 
measuring under subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop and use 
tools to examine the capacity of programs described in such subsection 
at both the national and local level in order to assess the following:
            (1) Whether sufficient capacity exists to meet the needs of 
        homeless veterans in each geographic area.
            (2) Whether existing capacity meets the needs of the 
        subpopulations of homeless veterans located in each geographic 
        area.
            (3) The amount of capacity that recipients of grants under 
        sections 2011 and 2061 and per diem payments under section 2012 
        of such title have to provide services for which the recipients 
        are eligible to receive per diem under section 
        2012(a)(2)(B)(ii) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
        section 3(5)(B).
    (c) Use of Information.--The Secretary shall use the information 
collected under this section as follows:
            (1) To set specific goals to ensure that programs described 
        in subsection (a) are effectively serving the needs of homeless 
        veterans.
            (2) To assess whether programs described in subsection (a) 
        are meeting goals set under paragraph (1).
            (3) To inform funding allocations for programs described in 
        subsection (a).
            (4) To improve the referral of homeless veterans to 
        programs described in subsection (a).
    (d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
assessment required by subsection (b) is completed, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
on such assessment and such recommendations for legislative and 
administrative action as the Secretary may have to improve the programs 
and per diem payments described in subsection (a).

SEC. 9. REQUIREMENT FOR COMPTROLLER GENERAL TO STUDY DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS HOMELESS VETERANS PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall complete a study of programs of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs that provide assistance to homeless veterans.
    (b) Elements.--The study required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) An assessment of whether programs described in 
        subsection (a) are meeting the needs of veterans who are 
        eligible for assistance provided by such programs.
            (2) A review of recent efforts of the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs to improve the privacy, safety, and security of female 
        veterans receiving assistance from such programs.

SEC. 10. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR ANNUAL REPORTS ON ASSISTANCE TO 
              HOMELESS VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2065 of title 38, United States Code, is 
hereby repealed.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 20 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 2065.
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