Congressional Record, Volume 161 Issue 160 (Thursday, October 29, 2015)

[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 160 (Thursday, October 29, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7621-S7622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

HOMELESS VETERANS SERVICES PROTECTION ACT OF 2015

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I want to take a few minutes to talk
about an issue that is very important to me, and that is the care of
our Nation's veterans. As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I
realize what it means for a family member to be willing to sacrifice
their life for their country. We promise our men and women in uniform
that the country will be there for them after they leave service, and
sometimes that means long after the war is over. But I am concerned our
country is about to turn its back on thousands of veterans, and I am
here today to say we have to fix it.
Last year, the VA told homeless service providers they needed to cut
off services to certain veterans who had other than honorable
discharges or had not served a certain length of time. If that policy
had been enacted, it would have been a major setback for veterans
across the country. It would have set us back on our goal of ending
veteran homelessness, a goal that the administration has set for itself
and hundreds of mayors across the country have committed to. It would
have been simply unacceptable. These are veterans who need our support.
Many of them struggle with mental illness and substance abuse or simply
finding employment.
According to some of our leading veterans and homeless groups--
including the American Legion, the National Alliance to End
Homelessness, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and the
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans--if the policy had been
enacted, the VA would have had to stop serving about 15 percent of the
homeless veteran population. In some urban areas, up to 30 percent of
homeless veterans would be turned away.
Thankfully, after hearing concern from around the country, including
from my home State of Washington, the VA was able to put off that
terrible policy change. But, unfortunately, the VA is now expected to
announce their final decision any day that the reprieve is over, and
they are going to have to go ahead with this change and force homeless
providers to turn away veterans who have nowhere else to go--veterans
whose providers have been serving them for decades. That is wrong. This
policy change would be heartless. It is a bureaucratic move that would
put thousands of veterans on the streets practically overnight, and it
has to be stopped.
The VA is going to enact this policy when the final decision is made.
So Congress needs to act now to stop this from happening. Earlier this
year, I introduced the Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act. That
is a bill that would ensure our most vulnerable veterans would be
assured continued access to critical homeless service programs,
regardless of their discharge status or length of service. In other
words, it fixes the problem the VA says it has and makes sure they do
not have to cut off homeless veterans from care.
My bill will make it clear that our country takes care of those who
served and that we do not allow bureaucracy to dictate who gets a roof
over their head and who does not. But it is critical that we act now.
The VA has said it would issue this legal position in November, which
could put thousands of veterans on the street. We are running out of
time. But the solution to this crisis is now before us, and we can do
it by passing the Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act.
I don't believe there is any Member of this body who would deny our
obligation to ensure that veterans are taken care of and have a roof
over their head. While our country has made great strides in recent
years providing homeless services to the men and women who so bravely
served our country, I believe that even one veteran sleeping on our
streets in the United States is one too many. We know we have a lot of
work ahead of us.
Veterans are at a greater risk of becoming homeless than nonveterans.
On any given night, as many as 50,000 veterans are homeless here in
this country. With an influx of veterans now returning from the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan, the numbers of veterans seeking care will
continue to go up.
In short, this problem is not going away. Our veterans have made
great sacrifices serving our country. We cannot turn our backs on them
when they come home. That commitment includes providing benefits,
medical care, support, and assistance to prevent homelessness. It is a
commitment that shouldn't stop simply because we have run into a policy
roadblock.
I am very pleased to call this up now with the Heller amendment which
is the text of S. 1105. It is a bill that I strongly support. The
provision will increase the availability of care for homeless veterans
with children by reimbursing facilities funded by the VA Grant and Per
Diem Program.
I want to thank Senator Heller for his leadership on this issue. I
want to thank Senator Isakson and Senator Blumenthal for their
leadership, as the heads of the Veterans Affairs' Committee, and for
their support in being here today.
I am hoping Democrats and Republicans join us today to right this
wrong and prevent this problem from happening. It shouldn't be a
partisan issue. It is not a political issue. This is a veterans issue.
It is one that should bring us all together.
With that, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 1731 and the
Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the bill by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

A bill (S. 1731) to amend title 38, United States Code, to
waive the minimum period of continuous active duty in the
Armed Forces for receipt of certain benefits for homeless
veterans, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
furnish such benefits to homeless veterans with discharges or
releases from service in the Armed Forces with other than
dishonorable conditions, and for other purposes.

[[Page S7622]]

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Heller
amendment be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and
passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon
the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 2760) was agreed to, as follows:

(Purpose: To authorize per diem payments under comprehensive service
programs for homeless veterans to furnish care to dependents of
homeless veterans)

On page 4, between lines 15 and 16, insert the following:

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR FURNISHING
CARE TO DEPENDENTS OF CERTAIN HOMELESS
VETERANS.

Section 2012(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) Services for which a recipient of a grant under
section 2011 of this title (or an entity described in
paragraph (1)) may receive per diem payments under this
subsection may include furnishing care for a dependent of a
homeless veteran who is under the care of such homeless
veteran while such homeless veteran receives services from
the grant recipient (or entity).''.

The bill (S. 1731), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

S. 1731

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 ``Homeless Veterans Services
Protection Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. WAIVER OF MINIMUM PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS ACTIVE DUTY IN
ARMED FORCES FOR CERTAIN BENEFITS FOR HOMELESS
VETERANS.

Section 5303A(b)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as
subparagraphs (G) and (H), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following new
subparagraph (F):
``(F) to benefits under section 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, or
2061 of this title;''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION TO FURNISH CERTAIN BENEFITS TO HOMELESS
VETERANS WITH DISCHARGES OR RELEASES UNDER
OTHER THAN HONORABLE CONDITIONS.

Section 5303(d) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by striking ``not apply to any war-risk insurance'' and
inserting the following: ``not apply to the following:
``(1) Any war-risk insurance''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Benefits under section 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, or
2061 of this title (except for benefits for individuals
discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by reason of
the sentence of a general court-martial).''.

SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF DEFINITION OF VETERAN FOR PURPOSES OF
PROVIDING CERTAIN BENEFITS TO HOMELESS
VETERANS.

Section 2002 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``In this chapter'' and inserting ``(a) In
General.--In this chapter''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Veteran Defined.--(1) Notwithstanding section 101(2)
of this title and except as provided in paragraph (2), for
purposes of sections 2011, 2012, 2013, 2044, and 2061 of this
title, the term `veteran' means a person who served in the
active military, naval, or air service, regardless of length
of service, and who was discharged or released therefrom.
``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `veteran'
excludes a person who--
``(A) received a dishonorable discharge from the Armed
Forces; or
``(B) was discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces by
reason of the sentence of a general court-martial.''.

SEC. 5. TRAINING OF PERSONNEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS AND GRANT RECIPIENTS.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a program
of training and education to ensure that the following
persons are aware of and implement this Act and the
amendments made by this Act:
(1) Personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs who are
supporting or administering a program under chapter 20 of
title 38, United States Code.
(2) Recipients of grants or other amounts for purposes of
carrying out such a program.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS FOR FURNISHING
CARE TO DEPENDENTS OF CERTAIN HOMELESS
VETERANS.

SEC. 7. REGULATIONS.

Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe
regulations, including such modifications to section 3.12 of
title 38, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor
regulation), as the Secretary considers appropriate, to
ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs is in full
compliance with this Act and the amendments made by this Act.

SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall apply to
individuals seeking benefits under chapter 20 of title 38,
United States Code, before, on, and after the date of the
enactment of this Act.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Heller, Senator
Isakson, and the other Members who worked so hard for this. I would
like to yield some time to the Senator from Nevada.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Murray for her
efforts here today and for her willingness to work with me on including
a provision that we worked on together for several years now as members
of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Senator Murray's
legislation ensures that homeless veterans continue to be eligible for
the VA's Grant and Per Diem Program.
With my provision that Senator Murray agreed to include, this
legislation will also extend this eligibility to the dependents of
homeless veterans. Given the work that I have done with Senator Murray
on eligibility for homeless veterans' dependents, I believe it was
important we addressed both the needs of the veteran as well as their
dependents.
In cities such as Las Vegas, where veteran homelessness remains a
serious problem, the support of housing and service centers that
receive VA funding is absolutely critical in getting these veterans
back on their feet. Not only do the programs provide housing but they
also offer services, such as case management, education, crisis
intervention, and other services to special populations and important
populations such as homeless women veterans.
This Congress has a responsibility to ensure that existing veterans
under this program remain eligible, but also that dependents of
veterans, especially their children, are taken care of when their
veteran parents have fallen on hard times.
That is why I introduced the CARE for Veterans' Dependents Act with
Senator Murray, to make dependents eligible for care at VA-funded
facilities. These children and their parents deserve the certainty that
they will able to access supportive housing during their serious time
of need. I am proud that we were able to move forward on this measure,
which was just accepted a few moments ago by unanimous consent.
Senator Murray and I have a proud history of working together to
advocate on behalf of our Nation's veterans, and today's passage of
this legislation is another testament to our strong partnership on
behalf of veterans. I am also grateful to the chairman of the
committee, Senator Isakson, and to Ranking Member Blumenthal of the
Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for working so diligently with
us to make this happen.
Mr. President, I yield back to the Senator from Washington.
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I yield back.
Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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