[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 142 (Tuesday, November 1, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S12129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SUNUNU (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Kerry, 
        and Mr. Pryor):
  S. 1947. A bill to amend chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, 
to enhance adaptive housing assistance for disabled veterans; to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. President, today I introduced the ``Specially Adapted 
Housing Grants Act of 2005'' to help all disabled veterans move home 
from medical facilities. The bill upgrades eligibility criteria for 
housing assistance grants to better reflect the needs of today's 
veteran community.
  Before discussing the legislation's merits, I want to acknowledge my 
House colleague, Representative John Boozman of Arkansas, who serves as 
Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. 
Congressman Boozman has demonstrated real leadership on this issue 
through his bill, the ``Veterans Housing/Improvement Act of 2005, H.R. 
3665. Section 101 of Congressman Boozman's bill is almost identical to 
the measure that I have sponsored. The House Veterans Affairs' 
Committee recently approved his legislation, and the full House is 
expected to consider the bill in the near future. I am grateful to 
Congressman Boozman for his considerable efforts to advance a measure 
that will help improve the lives of many disabled veterans, and I am 
happy to advance his efforts here in the Senate with this bill.
  I appreciate the support of my Senate colleagues, Senators Durbin, 
Vitter, Kerry and Pryor, who have added their names as original 
cosponsors of the ``Specially Adapted Housing Grants Act of 2005.'' 
Their endorsement of this bill represents bipartisan agreement on 
Capitol Hill that Congress must constantly evaluate veterans programs 
to make certain that our Nation provides responsive support to 
veterans.
  While representing New Hampshire in the House and Senate, I have 
worked to ensure that those who served in our armed services receive 
their hard-earned benefits quickly and in full. Too often, out-of-date 
and burdensome regulations deny qualified veterans from receiving the 
benefits to which they are entitled. Whenever possible, it is 
imperative that we remove red tape that does not take into account the 
realities faced by today's veterans.
  Guided by these facts, I have introduced legislation to reform rules 
that determine requirements for a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
grant program that helps many disabled veterans make their homes 
suitable for occupancy. Currently, a disabled veteran must at least 
partly own his or her residence to receive VA housing assistance grants 
to perform necessary residence modifications, such as installing 
wheelchair ramps or railings. However, many younger veterans returning 
from Iraq and Afghanistan have not yet had the opportunity to become 
homeowners. Being ineligible for VA help to modify their homes, these 
veterans and their families often are compelled to either shoulder the 
costs of retrofitting their residences or face extended stays in VA 
medical facilities.
  My bill would establish a 5-year pilot program to allow severely 
disabled veterans who live temporarily with family to receive up to 
$10,000 in adaptive housing assistance; less severely disabled veterans 
could receive a maximum of $2,000. This grant money will help ensure 
that all disabled veterans--regardless of whether they own property--
are able to leave hospitals and return home as quickly as possible.

  Also, mindful that these individuals will likely purchase their own 
residence, the bill would allow disabled veterans to receive two 
additional Specially Adaptive Housing Grants to be used for homes that 
they own in the future. Severely disabled veterans could receive a 
total of $50,000 to modify residences; less severely disabled veterans 
would be eligible for a total of $10,000. Only one of the three total 
grants could be used for a temporary residence, such as a family-owned 
home.
  America's veterans have made enormous sacrifices to protect our 
Nation and the ideals for which it stands. Our country owes a special 
obligation to those men and women who have become disabled as a result 
of their service. Under no circumstances should these American heroes 
be divided into groups of ``haves'' and ``have nots.''
  This Nation can do no less than to ensure that all disabled veterans 
are returned to the normalcy of home life as quickly and comfortably as 
possible. The common sense changes put forth in the legislation I have 
introduced aim to do just that, and I look forward to working with my 
colleagues in the House and Senate to ensure that its provisions become 
law as soon as possible.
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