[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 43 (Monday, March 9, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S932]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4377. Mr. PADILLA submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 6644, a bill to increase the supply of housing
in America, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the
table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE __--END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS ACT OF 2026
SEC. _1. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``End Veteran Homelessness
Act of 2026''.
SEC. _2. CLARIFICATION OF STAFFING NEEDS FOR CASE MANAGERS OF
THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION WITH REGARDS
TO HOMELESS VETERANS AND VETERANS AT RISK OF
HOMELESSNESS.
(a) In General.--Section 2003(b) of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary'';
(2) by inserting ``, and who is determined to require case
management,'' before ``is assigned''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) In assigning case managers and providing services
under this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize
vulnerable homeless veterans, including veterans who are
homeless and who have disabilities (including chronic mental
illness, chronic substance abuse disorders, or chronic
physical disabilities).''.
(b) Annual Report.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
coordination with the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, shall submit to Congress an annual report on the
program under section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing
Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)), as amended by section 3
of this Act and commonly known as the ``HUD-VASH program'',
which shall include, for the year covered by the report, each
of the following, disaggregated by locality and by
demographics (if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines
it appropriate):
(1) An identification of the number and demographic
characteristics of veterans served by the HUD-VASH program.
(2) The number, qualifications, and demographics of case
managers described in section 2003(b) of title 38, United
States Code, as amended by subsection (a).
(3) An assessment of the standard and scope of care
provided by such case managers to such veterans, including
factors such as--
(A) staffing ratios;
(B) practices used in case management;
(C) frequency with which a case manager contacts a veteran;
(D) whether a case manager successfully connects a veteran
to a requested resource or support; and
(E) professional licenses or certifications possessed by
case managers.
(4) An assessment of the types of services provided by such
case managers to such veterans.
(5) With regard to vouchers made available under the HUD-
VASH program--
(A) the number requested;
(B) the number allocated;
(C) the number used;
(D) the number assigned but unused; and
(E) the average time between such assignation and such use.
(6) The percentage of such veterans who used such a voucher
and received case management from such a case manager.
(7) An identification of barriers that prevented the use of
such vouchers by such veterans.
SEC. _3. AMENDMENTS TO HUD-VASH PROGRAM.
Section 8(o)(19) of the United States Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(19)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) in the first sentence--
(i) by striking ``subparagraph (C)'' and inserting
``subparagraph (B)''; and
(ii) by striking ``the amounts specified in subparagraph
(B)'' and inserting ``amounts'';
(B) by striking the second sentence and inserting ``In the
course of administering such program--''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new clauses:
``(i) the Secretary shall provide rental assistance on
behalf of a veteran who is--
``(I) homeless;
``(II) at risk of homelessness; or
``(III) receiving assistance under another housing
assistance program if the Secretary determines a voucher
under this paragraph is a more appropriate form of assistance
for such veteran;
``(ii) subject to subparagraph (D), the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall furnish case management to a veteran
described in clause (i) whom such Secretary (acting through
an appropriately licensed or otherwise qualified employee of
the Department of Veterans Affairs or an entity that
participates in a centralized or coordinated entry system (as
defined in section 578.3 of title 24, Code of Federal
Regulations, or successor regulation) of the Department of
Housing and Urban Development) determines requires case
management;
``(iii) in the case of a veteran described in clause (ii)
who refuses case management--
``(I) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
``(aa) make recurring attempts to engage and build a
relationship with the veteran, in order to provide such case
management to the veteran, solicit feedback from the veteran,
and promote the veteran's housing stability and opportunities
to access health care and other benefits under laws
administered by the Secretary; and
``(bb) provide case management to such veteran if the
veteran subsequently requests case management;
``(II) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may
not revoke such rental assistance on behalf of the veteran
solely on the basis of such refusal;
``(III) a public housing authority may not revoke rental
assistance provided by such authority on behalf of the
veteran solely on the basis of such refusal; and
``(IV) the owner may not evict or otherwise penalize the
veteran solely on the basis of such refusal; and
``(iv) in the case of a veteran described in clause (ii)
whose case management is suspended for the health and safety
of the veteran or the case manager, the owner may not evict
or otherwise penalize the veteran solely on the basis of such
suspension.'';
(2) by striking subparagraph (B);
(3) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as
subparagraphs (B) and (E), respectively; and
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (B), as redesignated
the following new subparagraphs:
``(C) Veterans who do not require case management.--A
voucher made available under this paragraph may be used for a
homeless veteran, or a veteran at risk of homelessness, whom
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines does not require
case management if such use is included in the notice of
operating requirements of such program.
``(D) Administrative fees.--There is authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for administrative
fee payments to public housing agencies for costs of
administering vouchers under this paragraph and other
eligible expenses, as shall be defined by notice issued by
the Secretary, to facilitate the leasing of the vouchers,
such as security deposit assistance and other costs related
to retention and support of participating owners.''.
SEC. _4. GAO REPORT ON HOMELESS VETERANS.
(a) Report Required.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of
the United States shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report containing the following,
disaggregated by demographics (if the Comptroller General
determines it appropriate)--
(1) a description of the demographic characteristics of
veterans served by the HUD-VASH program, disaggregated by
whether the veteran is receiving services from a case manager
described in section 2003(b) of title 38, United States Code,
as amended by section 2 of this Act;
(2) the number, qualifications, and demographic
characteristics of such case managers;
(3) an assessment of the types and quality of case
management services provided to veterans by case managers
described in section 2003(b) of title 38, United States Code,
as amended by section 2, disaggregated by locality;
(4) an assessment of recruitment and retention of such case
managers, disaggregated by locality and demographic
characteristics; and
(5) metrics regarding housing stability and retention for
veterans participating in Federal housing assistance
programs, including veterans who have participated in more
than one such program and reasons why veterans ceased to so
participate.
(b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this
section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means the following:
(1) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
(2) The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate.
(3) The Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives.
(4) The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of
the Senate.
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