[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 8, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                VETERANS HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 1993

  Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 297, H.R. 3313, 
the House companion, that all after the enacting clause be stricken, 
and the text of S. 1626, as amended, be inserted in lieu thereof; that 
the bill be deemed read the third time, passed; that the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements appear at the 
appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the bill (H.R. 3313) was deemed read the third time, and passed, 
as follows:

                               H.R. 3313

       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 ``Veterans Benefits and 
     Services Amendments of 1994''.

     SEC. 2. REVISION IN COMPUTATION OF AGGREGATE GUARANTY FOR 
                   HOME LOANS.

       Section 3702(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking out paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu 
     thereof the following new paragraph (1):
       ``(1) the loan has been repaid in full, or the Secretary 
     has been released from liability as to the loan, or if the 
     Secretary has suffered a loss on the loan, the loss has been 
     paid in full; or'';
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking out ``; or'' and 
     inserting in lieu thereof a period; and
       (3) by striking out paragraph (3).

     SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO GUARANTEE HOME REFINANCE LOANS FOR 
                   ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS.

       (a) Loans.--Section 3710(a) of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding after paragraph (10) the 
     following:
       ``(11) To refinance in accordance with subsection (e) of 
     this section an existing loan guaranteed, insured, or made 
     under this chapter, and to improve the dwelling securing such 
     loan through energy efficiency improvements, as provided in 
     subsection (d) of this section.''.
       (b) Amount of Guaranty.--Section 3710(e)(1) of such title 
     is amended--
       (1) in the matter above subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or 
     subsection (a)(11)'' after ``subsection (a)(8)''; and
       (2) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:
       ``(C) the amount of the loan may not exceed--
       ``(i) an amount equal to the sum of the balance of the loan 
     being refinanced and such closing costs (including any 
     discount permitted pursuant to section 3703(c)(3)(A) of this 
     title) as may be authorized by the Secretary, under 
     regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe, to be 
     included in such loan; or
       ``(ii) in the case of a loan for a purpose specified in 
     such subsection (a)(11), an amount equal to the sum of the 
     amount referred to with respect to the loan under clause (i) 
     of this subparagraph and the amount specified under 
     subsection (d)(2) of this section;''.
       (c) Fee.--Section 3729(a)(2)(E) of such title is amended by 
     inserting ``3710(a)(11),'' after ``3710(a)(9)(B)(i),''.

     SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF PERIOD OF VIETNAM ERA FOR CERTAIN 
                   VETERANS.

       (a) Expansion of Era.--Section 101(29) of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(29) The term `Vietnam era' means--
       ``(A) the period beginning February 28, 1961, and ending on 
     May 7, 1975, in the case of a veteran who served in the 
     Republic of Vietnam during such period; and
       ``(B) the period beginning August 5, 1964, and ending on 
     May 7, 1975, in all other cases.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect on October 1, 1994. No person shall be 
     entitled to receive by reason of the amendment made by 
     subsection (a) any benefits for any period before such date.

     SEC. 5. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN PAYMENTS TO ALASKA NATIVES FROM 
                   DETERMINATION OF ANNUAL INCOME FOR PURPOSES OF 
                   ELIGIBILITY FOR PENSION.

       Section 1503(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking out ``and'' at the end of paragraph (9);
       (2) by striking out the period at the end of paragraph 
     (10)(B) and inserting in lieu thereof ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(11) cash, stock, land, or other interest referred to in 
     subparagraphs (A) through (E) below paragraph (3) of section 
     29(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 
     1626(c)), whether attributable to the disposition of real 
     property, profits from the operation of real property, or 
     otherwise, that is received from a Native Corporation under 
     such Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).''.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT FOR USE OF PROPERTY 
                   AT EDWARD HINES, JR., DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     enter into a long-term lease or similar agreement with the 
     organization known as The Caring Place at Loyola, Inc., a 
     not-for-profit organization operating under the laws of the 
     State of Illinois, to permit that organization to establish 
     on the grounds of the Edward Hines, Jr., Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Hines, Illinois, a facility 
     to provide temporary accommodations for family members of 
     severely ill children who are being treated at the Loyola 
     University of Chicago Medical Center.
       (b) Terms of Agreement.--An agreement under subsection 
     (a)--
       (1) shall ensure that there shall be no cost to the Federal 
     Government as a result of the property use authorized under 
     that subsection;
       (2) may permit the use of the property without rent; and
       (3) shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that one room 
     of the facility is available for the use of a veteran (at no 
     cost to the veteran) as temporary accommodations for the 
     veteran while the veteran's severely ill child is treated at 
     the Loyola University of Chicago Medical Center.

  The title was amended so as to read:

       To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit home loan 
     guaranties for energy efficiency improvements, to extend the 
     period of the Vietnam era, to exclude certain payments to 
     Alaska natives from annual income determinations for pension 
     purposes, and for other purposes.

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