[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 180 (Monday, November 6, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8502-H8504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO FURNISH ASSISTANCE FOR
ADAPTATIONS OF RESIDENCES OF VETERANS IN REHABILITATION PROGRAMS
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 3562) to amend title 38, United States Code, to
authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish assistance for
adaptations of residences of veterans in rehabilitation programs under
chapter 31 of such title, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3562
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. IMPROVEMENTS TO AUTHORITIES FOR PROVISION OF
ASSISTANCE FOR ADAPTATIONS OF RESIDENCES OF
VETERANS IN REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 21 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 2102A the
following new section:
``Sec. 2102B. Adaptations to residences of veterans in
rehabilitation programs
``(a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the
Secretary may assist a veteran who is entitled to services
and assistance under chapter 31 of this title and is pursuing
a rehabilitation program under such chapter in acquiring such
adaptations to such veteran's residence as are determined
necessary by the Secretary to accomplish the purposes of such
rehabilitation program.
``(b) Amount.--(1) The aggregate amount of assistance
available to a veteran under subsection (a) may not exceed
$77,307. The Secretary may waive this limitation for a
veteran if the Secretary determines a waiver is necessary for
the rehabilitation program of the veteran.
``(2) Effective on October 1 of each year (beginning in
2017), the Secretary shall increase the amount described in
paragraph (1) by the percentage calculated under section
2102(e)(2) of this title.
``(3) Beginning on October 1, 2019, the Secretary shall
submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate
and House of
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Representatives a biennial report on the use of the waiver
authority under paragraph (1).
``(c) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.
``(d) Rehabilitation Program Defined.--In this section, the
term `rehabilitation program' has the meaning given such term
in section 3101 of this title.''.
(b) Regulations.--The Secretary may provide assistance
under section 2102B of such title, as added by subsection
(a), in advance of regulations by issuing notice specifying
the criteria for the application, approval, and oversight
processes relating to the provision of assistance under such
section.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Scope of services and assistance for training and
rehabilitation.--Section 3104 of such title is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) The Secretary may not assist a veteran in acquiring
adaptations to the residence of the veteran under this
chapter. Any such assistance may be furnished only under
section 2102B of this title.''.
(2) Members of the armed forces residing outside the united
states.--Section 2101A of such title is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(B) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new
subsection (c):
``(c) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b),
this section shall not apply to the provision of assistance
under section 2102B of this title.''.
(3) Benefits additional to benefits under other laws.--
Section 2104 of such title is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``; however'' and all
that follows through ``once'';
(B) in subsection (b), by striking the second sentence; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) The Secretary may not provide assistance to a veteran
under this chapter if the Secretary determines such
assistance would result in a duplication of benefits under
this title to the veteran.''.
(4) Exception to mandatory life insurance.--Section 2106(a)
of such title is amended to read as follows:
``(a) The Secretary shall insure any individual under 70
years of age who has received assistance under this chapter
against the death of the individual except for an individual
who--
``(1) elects in writing to not receive insurance under this
section;
``(2) fails to respond in a timely manner to a request from
the Secretary for information on which the premium for such
insurance can be based; or
``(3) receives such assistance under section 2102B of this
title.''.
(d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 21 of such title is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 2102A the following new
item:
``2102B. Adaptations to residences of veterans in rehabilitation
programs.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3562.
This bill was introduced by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington),
my good friend, and would streamline the process for needed home
adaptations for our most severely wounded veterans and servicemembers.
The bill would do this by having the most qualified VA employees, those
who already work on VA's Specially Adaptive Housing program and who are
experts in home adaptation, oversee the changes to a veteran's home.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Arrington), chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic
Opportunity, to discuss this bill.
Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss H.R. 3562 and ask
my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan, commonsense
legislation to improve our services for those who have ``borne the
battle": America's disabled veterans.
Currently, if a disabled veteran in VA's Vocational Rehabilitation
and Employment program needs adaptations made to their home due to the
limitations of their disability, then it is their vocational
rehabilitation counselor, someone who has no experience or training in
home construction, who makes such arrangements for these adaptations.
In addition to the lack of core competency in home adaptations, these
counselors have experienced a significant and steady rise in their job
counseling caseloads, so their focusing on this home construction takes
away from their primary function as a vocational counselor. This has
resulted in inefficiencies for disabled veterans who now have to wait
in line, and it is costing taxpayers more money.
While these are master's degree-level counselors who provide great
services to our veterans every single day, they do not have the
expertise to understand how to build a wheelchair ramp, affix a grab
bar to a wall, or implement other home adaptations. This bill would
simply transfer these responsibility's to VA's Specially Adapted
Housing program, where they deal with these kinds of construction
projects every day.
This change is needed. It will save the taxpayers money, and, most
importantly, it will help our disabled veterans immensely by ensuring
that they have the right people on the job to address their service-
connected disabilities in a timely fashion.
Mr. Speaker, as we head into Veterans Day this upcoming weekend, I
just want to take a moment of personal privilege and say what an honor
it has been to serve on the VA Committee and chair the Subcommittee on
Economic Opportunity, and I want to thank, especially, the chairman for
that opportunity. It is humbling to know that in some small way I can
do my part on behalf of the people of west Texas to serve those who put
their lives on the line for all of us.
Veterans represent the very best of what this country was built on:
service before self. I say this because, at a time when our country's
culture and political environment seems so divided, the one thing that
continues to bring us together as Americans is our servicemembers and
veterans.
When they raised their right hand and swore an oath to defend their
fellow citizens, they did not care if we were from a red State or a
blue State, Republican or Democrat. They did it for love of country and
to protect not only their family and friends, but also the stranger
whom they will never meet.
That is why I am also very proud that, when we consider veterans
legislation as we are doing today and tomorrow, we are doing the two
most important things expected by all Americans: working together to
solve problems, and delivering on our promise to the American people. I
believe that the cumulative effect of commonsense measures such as the
bill that we are considering today are helping to deliver on those
promises.
I want to thank Chairman Roe, again, and also House leadership on
both sides for helping us bring this bill through our committee and to
the floor.
Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity,
I would be remiss if I didn't also thank the leadership of my ranking
member, friend, and fellow west Texan, Mr. Beto O'Rourke, in getting
this bill introduced and to where it is today.
I know that our fellow Americans would strongly agree with me that
our veterans, especially our disabled veterans, deserve the very best
services their country can provide, and this bill is another step
towards doing just that. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3562 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to
provide funding for home adaptations for severely disabled veterans
within the Vocational, Rehabilitation, and Employment, or VR&E,
program.
Currently, VA provides severely disabled veterans assistance to lead
a more independent life through the VR&E program, which can include
help with adaptive housing. However, as their name suggests, VR&E
counselors are primarily trained to provide vocational and employment
assistance, and they do not necessarily have the expertise to provide
the best guidance on adaptive housing.
The agents and contractors who are part of VA's Specially Adaptive
Housing program, however, do have this expertise. The SAH program is
specifically geared towards helping severely disabled veterans with
adapting their homes to be equipped for independent living.
Therefore, in order to better serve severely disabled veterans, this
bill authorizes the SAH program to provide assistance to home
adaptations for
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VR&E-eligible veterans. The amount of assistance would be capped at the
same level of funding that is currently provided to SAH-eligible
veterans.
This is a solution that puts the right VA employee in charge of
assisting a disabled veteran to adapt their home. This will also reduce
the workload on VR&E counselors, allowing them to spend more time
helping veterans with employment services.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is the type of legislation that I am proud members
of our committee continue to bring forward. While it is not as flashy
as the GI Bill package we passed earlier this year or Care in the
Community legislation we are working on later this week, this bill gets
to the core of what this Congress should be about: making it easier for
disabled veterans to receive the benefits they have earned.
I commend Mr. Arrington and Mr. O'Rourke for looking at a challenge
and working with the administration and veterans groups to craft this
important bill.
General Leave
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3562.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3562, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all
Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 3562.
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. ROE. 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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