[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 130 (Friday, September 27, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5888-H5890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EXPIRING AUTHORITIES ACT OF 2013
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 1412) to improve and
increase the availability of on-job training and apprenticeship
programs carried out by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendments is as follows:
Senate amendments:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans
Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2013''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSIONS OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES AFFECTING VETERANS
AND THEIR FAMILIES.
(a) Extension of Authority To Provide Monthly Assistance
Allowance to Veterans With Disability Invited by United
States Olympic Committee.--
(1) In general.--Section 322(d)(4) of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by inserting ``and $500,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2013, and ending December 31,
2013'' after ``2013''.
(2) Technical correction.--Section 322 of such title is
amended by striking ``United States Paralympics, Inc.,'' each
place it appears and inserting ``United States Olympic
Committee''.
(b) Extension of Authority To Provide Assistance for United
States Olympic Committee.--
(1) In general.--Section 521A of such title is amended--
(A) in subsection (g), by inserting ``and $2,000,000 for
the period beginning October 1, 2013, and ending December 31,
2013'' after ``2013''; and
(B) in subsection (l), by striking ``The Secretary may only
provide assistance under this section during fiscal years
2010 through 2013.''
[[Page H5889]]
and inserting ``The Secretary may not provide assistance
under this section after December 31, 2013.''.
(2) Technical correction.--Such section is further
amended--
(A) except in subsection (d)(4), by striking ``United
States Paralympics, Inc.,'' each place it appears and
inserting ``United States Olympic Committee'';
(B) in subsection (d)(4), by striking ``United States
Paralympics, Inc.'' and inserting ``United States Olympic
Committee''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(m) Applicability to Commonwealths and Territories of
United States.--The provisions of this section and section
322 of this title shall apply with respect to the following
in the same manner and to the same degree as the United
States Olympic Committee:
``(1) The American Samoa National Olympic Committee.
``(2) Guam National Olympic Committee.
``(3) Comite Olimpico de Puerto Rico.
``(4) Such entities as the Secretary considers appropriate
to represent the interests of the Northern Mariana Islands
and the United States Virgin Islands under this section and
section 322 of this title.''.
(3) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 5 of such title is amended by striking
the item relating to section 521A and inserting the following
new item:
``521A. Assistance for United States Olympic Committee.''.
(c) Extension of Authority for Collection of Copayments for
Hospital Care and Nursing Home Care.--Section 1710(f)(2)(B)
of such title is amended by striking ``September 30, 2013''
and inserting ``September 30, 2014''.
(d) Extension of Authority for Recovery From Third Parties
of Cost of Care and Services Furnished to Veterans With
Health-Plan Contracts for Non-Service-connected Disability.--
Section 1729(a)(2)(E) of such title is amended by striking
``October 1, 2013'' and inserting ``October 1, 2014''.
(e) Extensions of Authorities Affecting Homeless
Veterans.--
(1) Homeless veterans reintegration programs.--Section
2021(e)(1)(F) of such title is amended by striking ``2013''
and inserting ``2014''.
(2) Referral and counseling services: veterans at risk of
homelessness who are transitioning from certain
institutions.--Section 2023(d) of such title is amended--
(A) by inserting ``to enter into a contract'' before ``to
provide''; and
(B) by striking ``September 30, 2013'' and inserting
``September 30, 2014''.
(f) Extension of Previously Fully-Funded Authorities
Affecting Homeless Veterans.--
(1) Comprehensive service programs.--Section 2013 of such
title is amended by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the
following new paragraphs:
``(6) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.
``(7) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2015 and each subsequent
fiscal year.''.
(2) Financial assistance for supportive services for very
low-income veteran families in permanent housing.--Section
2044(e)(1)(E) of such title is amended by striking ``for
fiscal year 2013'' and inserting ``for each of fiscal years
2013 and 2014''.
(3) Grant program for homeless veterans with special
needs.--Section 2061(d)(1) of such title is amended by
striking ``through 2013'' and inserting ``through 2014''.
(g) Extension of Temporary Expansion of Eligibility for
Specially Adapted Housing Assistance for Certain Veterans
With Disabilities Causing Difficulty With Ambulating.--
Section 2101(a)(4) of such title is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Secretary's'' and inserting ``(A)
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary's'';
(2) in subparagraph (A), as designated by paragraph (1), by
striking ``September 30, 2013'' and inserting ``September 30,
2014''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(B) In fiscal year 2014, the Secretary may not approve
more than 30 applications for assistance under paragraph (1)
for disabled veterans described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii).''.
(h) Extension of Authority To Calculate Net Value of Real
Property Securing Defaulted Loan for Purposes of
Liquidation.--Section 3732(c)(11) of such title is amended by
striking ``October 1, 2013'' and inserting ``October 1,
2014''.
(i) Extension of Pilot Program on Assistance for Child Care
for Certain Veterans Receiving Health Care.--Section 205 of
the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of
2010 (Public Law 111-163; 38 U.S.C. 1710 note) is amended--
(1) in subsection (e), by striking ``2-year'' and inserting
``3-year''; and
(2) in subsection (h), by striking ``and 2011'' and
inserting ``and 2014''.
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF USE OF NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF NEW
HIRES FOR INCOME VERIFICATION PURPOSES FOR
CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS.
(a) Secretary of Health and Human Services.--Section
453(j)(11) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)(11))
is amended by striking subparagraph (G) and inserting the
following new subparagraph (G):
``(G) Expiration of authority.--The authority under this
paragraph shall be in effect as follows:
``(i) During the period beginning on December 26, 2007, and
ending on November 18, 2011.
``(ii) During the period beginning on the date of the
enactment of the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring
Authorities Act of 2013 and ending 180 days after that
date.''.
(b) Secretary of Veterans Affairs.--Section 5317A of title
38, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d)
and inserting the following new subsection (d):
``(d) Expiration of Authority.--The authority under this
section shall be in effect as follows:
``(1) During the period beginning on December 26, 2007, and
ending on November 18, 2011.
``(2) During the period beginning on the date of the
enactment of the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring
Authorities Act of 2013 and ending 180 days after that
date.''.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE AND RATIFICATION.
(a) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect on October
1, 2013, except that Section 2 (a) shall take effect on
September 30, 2013.
(b) Ratification.--If this Act is not enacted on or before
September 30, 2013, any actions undertaken by the Department
of Veterans Affairs under the authorities extended by this
Act during the period beginning on such date and ending on
the date of the enactment of this Act shall be deemed
ratified.
SEC. 5. SCORING OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010 shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend title 38,
United States Code, to extend certain expiring authorities
affecting veterans and their families, and for other
purposes.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks on Senate amendments to H.R. 1412.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, the Senate amendments we are discussing today to H.R.
1412 would extend a number of expiring authorities affecting the daily
lives and long-term well-being of our servicemembers, veterans, and
their families.
The important initiatives that would be extended through this
legislation include those that provide adaptive sports programs and
specially adapted housing grants for disabled veterans and supported
services--such as housing and employment assistance--for homeless
veterans.
The bill would also extend for 1 year the Department's authority to
provide childcare assistance to certain veterans receiving intensive
health care services.
Further, it would extend VA's authority to collect copayments for
hospital and nursing home care and to recover from third parties the
cost of care and services that are furnished to veterans with health
plan contracts for nonservice-connected conditions through September
30, 2014.
Needless to say, each of these programs is critical to ensuring the
efficient and effective delivery of high-quality health care and
benefits to veterans in communities across our country.
The committee will continue to be vigorous in our oversight of each
of these programs to ensure the prompt delivery of needed benefits and
services to veterans and the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars.
This legislation represents a bipartisan, bicameral effort. I want to
express my gratitude to the ranking member, Mr. Michaud, and to Ms.
Brown, who is here with us on the floor, the chairman and the ranking
member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee--Bernie Sanders of
Vermont and Richard Burr of North Carolina--for their hard work and
their leadership in this effort.
I urge all of my colleagues to join me in the Senate amendments to
H.R. 1412 and reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1412, as amended, the Department of
Veterans Affairs Expired Authorities Act of 2013.
{time} 0915
VA would lose the authority to continue a number of critical programs
[[Page H5890]]
that, without action, would expire next week. These programs assist our
most vulnerable veterans reintegrating back into society and into their
communities.
With this legislation, wrap-around services for homeless veterans and
their families would be authorized to continue. Services such as
counseling, job training, job referrals, financial assistance, case
management, housing, and the special needs for the frail, elderly, and
seriously mentally ill veterans will continue.
We listened to veterans when they told us that they were busy with
jobs, school, and families and, as a result, found it difficult to get
the health care they needed without childcare assistance. This measure
extended for 1 year VA's authority to provide childcare assistance for
certain veterans receiving intensive health care services.
This bill would extend the authority to provide a monthly assistance
allowance to veterans with disabilities who are invited by the U.S.
Olympic Committee to participate on the U.S. Paralympics team. More
than 14,000 veterans with disabilities have benefited from these
activities. The results for these veteran athletes have been
astonishing both in terms of athletic accomplishment and personal
accomplishment.
This bill extends eligibility for specially adapted housing for our
most disabled veterans. It would allow them to live more independently
in their daily lives.
Mr. Speaker, I believe we have a moral obligation to ensure that we
do what needs to be done to help those who have worn the uniform
receive the benefits and services they have earned. These extensions of
critical programs we are considering today will help us do all we can.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes
to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman), a gentleman who has worn
the uniform of this country and served this country well.
Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Miller and
Ranking Member Michaud for working with the members of the House and
Senate Veterans Affairs Committees to pass this important legislation.
Specifically, I am happy to see the extension of the Veterans
Paralympic program, which reflects my legislation, H.R. 1402, the
Veterans Paralympic Act, which passed unanimously out of the Economic
Opportunity Subcommittee before being combined in an omnibus bill in
the full committee. This program ensures that disabled veterans in
local communities throughout the country continue to have opportunities
for rehabilitation, stress relief, and higher achievement through
adaptive sports.
U.S. Olympic Committee's Paralympics Chief Charlie Huebner testified
at a hearing that ``participation in sports and other athletic
activities can help speed the rehabilitation process for disabled
veterans.'' As a Marine Corps combat veteran, I couldn't agree more
with Mr. Huebner, and I personally understand the importance of
rehabilitation opportunities for returning veterans.
Finally, although I fully support the passage of the extenders
package, I am disappointed that the substance of H.R. 1412 was not
included in this bill. H.R. 1412, the Improving Job Opportunities for
Veterans Act, seeks to build on an existing, yet little known and
underutilized on-the-job training program that assists veterans by
allowing them to use their educational benefits to learn a trade or
skill by participation in an approved apprenticeship or on-the-job
training program.
Employers in my district have expressed their desire to work with
this program and hire more veterans because they know how valuable a
veteran can be to their organization. Additionally, Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans of America has endorsed the legislation by saying,
``IAVA stands ready to support and promote innovative ideas like this
to end the veterans' unemployment crisis.''
It is my understanding that the original provisions of H.R. 1412 were
dropped without prejudice and that they will be part of an upcoming
negotiation between the House and the Senate. I look forward to seeing
the substance of that legislation advance, and I will be working with
Chairman Miller to ensure that happens.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers at this
time, so we are prepared to close.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to
support H.R. 1412, as amended. I want to thank Chairman Miller for
working in a very bipartisan way for veterans.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I, too, thank my colleague Ms.
Brown from Jacksonville for her hard work on behalf of veterans and her
ability to work with us in the committee in a bipartisan fashion.
I once again encourage all Members to support this legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. BROWNLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, today, I want to express my
support for the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act
of 2013. This legislation includes the reauthorization of several
fundamental programs that serve some of our most vulnerable veterans
who are overrepresented in our nation's homeless population. These
programs are the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program, the Grant and
Per Diem Program for Homeless Veterans with Special Needs program, the
Supportive Services for Veterans Families programs, and the
Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program.
I believe that Congress and the VA must do what it necessary to end
the homeless veterans problem, which is why I introduced H.R. 2485, the
Helping Homeless Veterans Act. In addition to the programs that will be
reauthorized in H.R. 1412, H.R. 2485 would reauthorize several other
homeless veterans programs, such as the Therapeutic Transitional
Housing component to the Compensated Work Therapy Program and the
Acquired Property Sales for Homeless Veterans Program. This important
legislation has been endorsed by numerous Veteran Service
Organizations, including the American Legion, the Military Officers
Association of America, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans,
and the Center for American Homeless Veterans. Without Congressional
action, we will neglect our nation's heroes by letting these programs
expire at the end of this calendar year.
These veterans fought for our country and now it is our time to
fight for them. I commend Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Michaud
for their leadership on this legislation to reauthorize these programs,
and I appreciate their effort to end homelessness among veterans.
With so many men and women returning home and transitioning to
civilian life, now is not the time to waiver on our resolve.
I encourage my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 1412, and also
join me in supporting H.R. 2485, the Helping Homeless Veterans Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House suspend the rules
and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill, H.R. 1412.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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