[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S4114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. Daschle, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Hollings, 
        Mr. Wellstone and Mr. Jeffords):

  S. 714. A bill to make permanent the Native American Veteran Housing 
Loan Pilot Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs; to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  REAUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM 
                              LEGISLATION

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a measure which 
permanently authorizes the Native American Veteran Housing Loan 
Program. I am pleased that Senators Daschle, Inouye, Hollings, 
Wellstone, and Jeffords have joined me in cosponsoring this important 
measure.
  In 1992, I authored a bill that established a 5-year pilot program of 
direct home loans to assist native american veterans who reside on 
trust lands. This pilot program, administered by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs [VA], provides direct loans to native American 
veterans to build or purchase homes on trust lands. Previously, native 
American veterans who reside on trust lands were unable to qualify for 
VA home loan benefits. This disgraceful treatment of native American 
veterans was finally corrected when Congress established the native 
American Direct Home Loan Program.
  Despite the complexities of creating a program that addresses the 
needs of hundreds of different tribal entities, VA has successfully 
entered into agreements to provide direct VA loans to members of 46 
tribes and Pacific Island groups, and negotiations continue with other 
tribes. Since the program's inception, 127 native American veterans 
have been able to achieve home ownership, and none of the loans 
approved by the VA have been foreclosed.
  Unfortunately, the authority to issue new loans under this remarkably 
successful program will cease on September 30, 1997. This would be 
tragic and devastating to a number of native American veterans who want 
to participate in this program. Although VA has proposed a 2-year 
extension for the program, it fails to address the basic reason this 
program exists--equity. Native American veterans who reside on trust 
lands should be afforded the same benefits available to other veterans. 
Without this program, home loan benefits to native Americans living on 
trust lands will cease. This is the only program available for native 
American veterans who live on trust lands to finance a home for 
themselves and their families. There are no alternatives available.
  Permanent authorization of this program will ensure that native 
American veterans are provided equal access to services and benefits 
available to other veterans. I urge my colleagues to support this 
important legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 714

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

     SECTION 1. PERMANENT AUTHORITY FOR NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN 
                   HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM.

       (a) Permanent Authority.--Section 3761 of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended by striking out subsection (c).
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) Section 3761(a) of such 
     title is amended--
       (A) by striking out ``shall establish and implement a pilot 
     program'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``shall carry out a 
     pilot program''; and
       (B) by striking out ``shall establish and implement the 
     pilot program'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``shall carry 
     out the pilot program''.
       (2) Sections 3761(b) and 3762(i) of such title are each 
     amended by striking out ``pilot program'' and inserting in 
     lieu thereof ``program''.
       (3) Section 3762 of such title is amended--
       (A) in subsection (b)(1)(E), by striking out ``pilot 
     program established under this subchapter is implemented'' 
     and inserting in lieu thereof ``program under this subchapter 
     is carried out''; and
       (B) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking out the second 
     sentence.
       (4)(A) The subchapter heading for subchapter V of chapter 
     37 of such title is amended by striking out ``PILOT''.
       (B) The section heading for section 3761 of such title is 
     amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 3761. Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program''.

       (C) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 37 of 
     such title is amended--
       (i) in the item relating to subchapter V, by striking out 
     ``PILOT''; and
       (ii) by striking out the item relating to section 3761 and 
     inserting in lieu thereof the following new item:
``3761. Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program.''.
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