[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3749 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3749


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 27, 2020

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to make grants to entities that provide legal services 
 for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness, 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 ``Legal Services for Homeless Veterans 
Act''.

SEC. 2. LEGAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT RISK FOR 
              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. Legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk 
              for homelessness
    ``(a) Grants.--Subject to the availability of appropriations 
provided for such purpose, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make 
grants to eligible entities that provide legal services to homeless 
veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness.
    ``(b) Criteria.--(1) The Secretary shall--
            ``(A) establish criteria and requirements for grants under 
        this section, including criteria for entities eligible to 
        receive such grants; and
            ``(B) publish such criteria and requirements in the Federal 
        Register.
    ``(2) In establishing criteria and requirements under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall--
            ``(A) take into consideration any criteria and requirements 
        needed with respect to carrying out this section in rural 
        communities, Tribal lands, and the territories and possessions 
        of the United States; and
            ``(B) consult with organizations that have experience in 
        providing services to homeless veterans, including veterans 
        service organizations, the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps 
        Veterans Legal Corps, and other organizations the Secretary 
        determines appropriate.
    ``(c) 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 services for which the grant is 
        sought consistent with the application;
            ``(3) agrees to meet the applicable criteria and 
        requirements established under subsection (b)(1); and
            ``(4) has, as determined by the Secretary, demonstrated the 
        capacity to meet such criteria and requirements.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--Grants under this section shall be used to 
provide homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness the 
following legal services:
            ``(1) Legal services related to housing, including eviction 
        defense, representation in landlord-tenant cases, and 
        representation in foreclosure cases.
            ``(2) Legal services related to family law, including 
        assistance in court proceedings for child support, divorce, 
        estate planning, and family reconciliation.
            ``(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.
            ``(5) Legal services related to requests to upgrade the 
        characterization of a discharge or dismissal of a former member 
        of the Armed Forces under section 1553 of title 10.
            ``(6) Such other legal services as the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.
    ``(e) Funds for Women Veterans.--For any fiscal year, not less than 
10 percent of the amount authorized to be appropriated for grants under 
this section shall be used to provide legal services described in 
subsection (d) to women veterans.
    ``(f) Reports.--On a biennial basis, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate a report on grants under this section. To the extent 
feasible, each such report shall include the following with respect to 
the year covered by the report:
            ``(1) The number of homeless veterans and veterans at risk 
        for homelessness assisted.
            ``(2) A description of the legal services provided.
            ``(3) A description of the legal matters addressed.
            ``(4) An analysis by the Secretary with respect to the 
        operational effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the 
        services provided.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
2022 the following new item:

``2022A. Legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for 
                            homelessness.''.
    (c) Criteria.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish the criteria and requirements in the Federal Register 
pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of section 2022A of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a).

SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERAN FAMILIES 
              GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A FOCUS 
              ON PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS AND THEIR 
              FAMILIES.

    Section 2044(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) There is authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2024 for the provision of 
        financial assistance under subsection (a) to organizations that 
        have a focus on providing assistance to women veterans and 
        their families.''.

SEC. 4. GAP ANALYSIS OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAMS THAT 
              PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN VETERANS WHO ARE HOMELESS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete 
an analysis of programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs that 
provide assistance to women veterans who are homeless or precariously 
housed to identify the areas in which such programs are failing to meet 
the needs of such women.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, 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 the analysis completed 
under subsection (a).

            Passed the House of Representatives February 25, 2020.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.