[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 26 (Tuesday, March 8, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S2255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. AKAKA:
  S. 552. A bill to make technical corrections to the Veterans Benefits 
Improvement Act of 2004; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, today I introduce a bill that would provide 
a technical correction to the Veterans Benefits Improvements Act of 
2004.
  Last session, the law that allowed severely disabled members of the 
Armed Forces to receive specially adapted housing grants from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), while still on active duty, was 
inadvertently repealed. This was an oversight that occurred when the 
law was changed that authorized the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
provide specially adapted housing for veterans whose disability is the 
result of the loss, or loss of use, of both upper arms above the elbow.
  Currently, only veterans are statutorily eligible for adapted housing 
grants. Congress originally intended eligibility for both disabled 
veterans and servicemembers, as was the case before the change in law 
last Session.
  The correcting language in my bill would again provide the adapted 
housing benefit to disabled servicemembers in need of accommodations as 
they return to their homes. The adapted housing benefit is essential 
for providing an adequate standard of living for our disabled 
servicemembers. The benefit provides necessary modifications to 
servicemembers' homes to accommodate their disabilities.
  I ask that we continue to make every effort to ensure that those 
servicemembers who have sacrificed to defend Freedom receive the 
benefits that they deserve. We owe it to these great men and women to 
pass this legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text 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. 552

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

     SECTION 1. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO VETERANS BENEFITS 
                   IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2004.

       Section 2101 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
     section 401 of the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004 
     (Public Law 108-454), is further amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d);
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) a new subsection (c) 
     consisting of the text of subsection (c) of such section 2101 
     as in effect immediately before the enactment of such Act, 
     modified--
       (A) by inserting after ``(c)'' the following: ``Assistance 
     to Members of the Armed Forces.--'';
       (B) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) in the first sentence, by striking ``paragraph (1), 
     (2), or (3)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or 
     (D) of paragraph (2)''; and
       (ii) in the second sentence, by striking ``the second 
     sentence'' and inserting ``paragraph (3)''; and
       (C) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in the first sentence, by striking ``paragraph (1)'' 
     and inserting ``paragraph (2)''; and
       (ii) in the second sentence, by striking ``paragraph (2)'' 
     and inserting ``paragraph (3)''; and
       (3) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``subsection (c)'' in 
     the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and inserting 
     ``subsection (d)''.

     SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       The amendments made by section 1 shall take effect 
     immediately after the enactment of the Veterans Benefits 
     Improvement Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-454).
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