[House Report 115-386]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
115th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 115-386
======================================================================
AMENDING 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
_______
November 6, 2017.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Roe of Tennessee, from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3562]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to whom was referred
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, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 3
Subcommittee Consideration....................................... 3
Committee Consideration.......................................... 4
Committee Votes.................................................. 4
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 4
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 4
Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits............................. 4
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 4
Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Estimate........ 4
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 6
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 6
Constitutional Authority Statement............................... 6
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 6
Statement on Duplication of Federal Programs..................... 6
Disclosure of Directed Rulemaking................................ 6
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 6
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill as Reported............. 7
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 3562, would authorize the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs (VA) to furnish assistance for adaptations of
residences of veterans in rehabilitation programs under chapter
31 title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.). H.R. 3562 was
introduced by Representative Jodey Arrington of Texas on July
28, 2017.
Background and Need for Legislation
VA provides vocational rehabilitation and employment (VR&E)
services to veterans with a service connected disability and an
employment handicap or serious employment handicap. Under this
program, an eligible veteran works with their VR&E counselor to
create and implement a customized rehabilitation plan that
assists the veteran reach their rehabilitation and employment
goals. When a veteran enrolls in VR&E they can choose, with the
help of their counselor, from one of five tracks in which to
begin their training and rehabilitation. These tracks include:
(1) reemployment--services with the goal of getting veteran
reemployed with a previous employer; (2) rapid access to
reemployment--services with the goal of getting the veteran
suitable employment as quickly as possible; (3) self-
employment--provides services to help the veteran start and
operate their own business; (4) employment through long term
services--provides veterans with long term training or
education with the goal of employment; and (5) independent
living services--provides services to the most severely
disabled veterans that are not employable but can benefit from
services to help them lead a more independent life. While the
independent living is the smallest of VR&E's tracks, the time
and attention spent by VA's masters degree-level VR&E
counselors with veterans can be more than the time and
attention for veterans in other tracks.
The Specially Adaptive Housing (SAH) program, which
provides up to $81,080 in funding to severely disabled veterans
for adaptive housing assistance. Once a veteran is determined
to be eligible for the program, they work with a VA SAH agent
and contractor or builder of their choice to develop a plan for
adapting their home to meet their specific needs. These funds
can be used for wheelchair ramps, widening of doorways, grab
bars, and many other adaptations and improvements that would
help a disabled veteran to live and stay in their own home.
There are very specific eligibility requirements for this
program that generally involve the loss or loss of use of a
limb, therefore some severely disabled veterans that need home
adaptations are still ineligible. Some veterans that do not
qualify for the SAH program, however, are able to receive
funding to adapt their residence to ensure safety and the goal
of maximum independent living through VR&E's independent living
track.
The Committee has learned from VA and other stakeholders
that while the flexibility of having home adaptations completed
through the independent living track is helpful, there is a
concern that VR&E counselors are not qualified to provide
oversight of such construction and expenditures. At the
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity's legislative hearing on
this legislative text on June 29, 2017, Mr. Curtis Coy, VA's
Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity, stated ``VA
determined the home adaptation program portion of an
Independent Living rehabilitation plan would be best
administered through the SAH program due to staff expertise in
home renovations and consistent oversight of the construction
process by VA.''
The Committee agrees with Mr. Coy's assertion that VR&E's
master's degree-level counselors are trained in how to put
veterans back to work and do not have the appropriate level of
expertise on how to adapt a house. Therefore, this section
would authorize the SAH program to provide assistance to home
adaptations to eligible veterans using the VR&E program. The
amount of assistance would be capped at the same level of
funding that is provided to SAH-eligible veterans under Chapter
21, U.S.C. However, the Secretary would be authorized to waive
this cap if the Secretary determines a higher amount is
necessary to complete the veteran's rehabilitation program. The
Committee believes that this legislation puts the right VA
employee, an SAH agent trained in home construction, at the
center of helping adapt a disabled veteran's home. The
Committee also believes that making such a change could reduce
workload for VR&E counselors, which would result in them being
able to help more disabled veterans reach maximum
rehabilitation.
Hearings
On June 29, 2017, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
held a legislative hearing on several bills pending before the
Subcommittee including draft legislation that became the text
of H.R. 3562. The following witnesses testified:
The Honorable Elise Stefanik, U.S. House of
Representatives, 21st district of New York; The
Honorable Robert Wittman, U.S. House of
Representatives, 1st district of Virginia; The
Honorable Claudia Tenney, U.S. House of
Representatives, 22nd district of New York; The
Honorable David Cicilline, U.S. House of
Representatives, 1st district of Rhode Island; The
Honorable Scott Taylor, U.S. House of Representatives,
2nd district of Virginia; Mr. Curtis L. Coy, Deputy
Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity, Veterans
Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, who was accompanied by Ms. Tia Butler,
Executive Director, Corporate Senior Executive
Management Office, Human Resources and Administration,
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Mr. Jeffrey
London, Director, Loan Guaranty Service, Veterans
Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs; Maj. Gen. Jeffrey E. Phillips, USAR (Ret.),
Executive Director, Reserve Officers Association; and
Mr. Gabriel Stultz, Legislative Counsel, Paralyzed
Veterans of America.
The following organizations submitted statements for
the record: U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Chamber
of Commerce
Subcommittee Consideration
There was no subcommittee consideration of H.R. 3562.
Committee Consideration
On October 12, 2017 the full Committee met in open markup
session, a quorum being present, and ordered H.R. 3562 be
reported favorably to the House of Representatives by voice
vote.
Committee Votes
In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, no recorded votes were taken on
amendments or in connection with ordering H.R. 3562 reported to
the House.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause
(2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, the Committee's oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the descriptive portions of
this report.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee's performance
goals and objectives of H.R. 3562 are to improve the delivery
of VA funding for home adaptations to disabled veterans.
Earmarks and Tax and Tariff Benefits
H.R. 3562 does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in
clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
Committee Cost Estimate
Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires an estimate and a comparison by the
Committee of the costs that would be incurred in carrying out
this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) of that Rule provides
that this requirement does not apply when the Committee has
included in its report a timely submitted cost estimate of the
bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974. The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate on H.R.
3562 prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974.
Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect
to requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the following is the cost
estimate for H.R. 3562 is provided by the Congressional Budget
Office.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, October 27, 2017.
Hon. Phil Roe, M.D.,
Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 3562, a bill 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.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is David Newman.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall,
Director.
Enclosure.
H.R. 3562--A bill 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
Through the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
program, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides
assistance to veterans whose disabilities prevent them from
working. That assistance can include the cost of modifying
veterans' homes to enable them to live independently. The cost
of those benefits are paid from mandatory appropriations.
H.R. 3562 would cap payments for housing modifications at
$79,874 per beneficiary in 2018; that amount would be adjusted
annually for inflation. However, the bill would allow VA to
waive the cap if higher amounts are necessary. The bill also
would transfer the management of those benefits to a related
program that pays for housing adaptions for severely disabled
veterans.
On the basis of information from VA regarding how it would
implement the bill, CBO expects that very few veterans would be
affected. Over the last four years, an average of eight
veterans a year have received housing adaptations under the
vocational rehabilitation program in amounts that would exceed
the limit in H.R 3562. In addition, the department indicates
that it would likely waive enforcement of the cap in most
cases.
Pay-as-you-go procedures apply to H.R. 3562 because
enacting the bill would decrease direct spending. However,
those decreases in direct spending would be insignificant, CBO
estimates. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3562 would not increase
net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
H.R. 3562 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Newman.
The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Federal Mandates Statement
With respect to the requirements of Section 423 of the
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (as amended by
Section 101(a)(2) of the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act, P.L. 104-
4), the Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates regarding H.R. 3562 prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act would be created by H.R.
3562.
Constitutional Authority Statement
Pursuant to Article I, section 8 of the United States
Constitution, H.R. 3562 is authorized by Congress' power to
``provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the
United States.''
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that H.R. 3562 does not relate to the
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services
or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of
the Congressional Accountability Act.
Statement on Duplication of Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision
of H.R. 3562 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the
Federal Government known to be duplicative of another Federal
program, a program that was included in any report from the
Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance.
Disclosure of Directed Rulemaking
Pursuant to section 3(i) of H. Res. 5, 115th Cong. (2017),
H.R. 3562 would require the Secretary to publish new
regulations for carrying out this bill.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Improvements to authorities for provision of assistance for
adaptations of residences of veterans in rehabilitation
programs
Section 1(a) would create a new section 2102B of title 38,
U.S.C., ``Adaptations to residences of veterans in
rehabilitation programs.'' This section would authorize the
Secretary to provide adaptations to a veteran's residence who
is entitled to services and assistance under chapter 31 of
title 38, U.S.C. The Secretary would be able to provide up to
$77,307 in assistance but the Secretary could waive this
limitation if the Secretary determines a waiver is necessary
for the rehabilitation program of the veteran. The new section
2102(A) would also require the Secretary to increase the amount
of assistance each year on October 1st by the percentage
calculated under section 2102(e)(2) of title 38, U.S.C. The
Secretary would also be required to prescribe regulations to
carry out this new section.
Section 1(b) would allow the Secretary to provide
assistance under the new section 2102B 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.
Section 1(c) would make conforming amendments to title 38,
U.S.C.
Section 1(d) would make a clerical amendment to the table
of section at the beginning of chapter 21 of title 38, U.S.C.
by inserting a new section 2102B.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
Pursuant clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill,
as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in
italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in
roman):
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italic, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE
* * * * * * *
PART II--GENERAL BENEFITS
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER 21--SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSING FOR DISABLED VETERANS
Sec.
2101. Acquisition and adaptation of housing: eligible veterans.
* * * * * * *
2102A. Assistance for individuals residing temporarily in housing owned
by a family member.
2102B. Adaptations to residences of veterans in rehabilitation programs.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 2101A. Eligibility for benefits and assistance: members of the
Armed Forces with service-connected disabilities;
individuals residing outside the United States
(a) Members With Service-Connected Disabilities.--(1) The
Secretary may provide assistance under this chapter to a member
of the Armed Forces serving on active duty who is suffering
from a disability that meets applicable criteria for benefits
under this chapter if the disability is incurred or aggravated
in line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service.
Such assistance shall be provided to the same extent as
assistance is provided under this chapter to veterans eligible
for assistance under this chapter and subject to the same
requirements as veterans under this chapter.
(2) For purposes of this chapter, any reference to a veteran
or eligible individual shall be treated as a reference to a
member of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a) who is
similarly situated to the veteran or other eligible individual
so referred to.
(b) Benefits and Assistance for Individuals Residing Outside
the United States.--(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary
may, at the Secretary's discretion, provide benefits and
assistance under this chapter (other than benefits under
section 2106 of this title) to any individual otherwise
eligible for such benefits and assistance who resides outside
the United States.
(2) The Secretary may provide benefits and assistance to an
individual under paragraph (1) only if--
(A) the country or political subdivision in which the
housing or residence involved is or will be located
permits the individual to have or acquire a beneficial
property interest (as determined by the Secretary) in
such housing or residence; and
(B) the individual has or will acquire a beneficial
property interest (as so determined) in such housing or
residence.
(c) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b),
this section shall not apply to the provision of assistance
under section 2102B of this title.
[(c)] (d) Regulations.--Benefits and assistance under this
chapter by reason of this section shall be provided in
accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may
prescribe.
* * * * * * *
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 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.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 2104. Benefits additional to benefits under other laws
(a) Any individual who accepts the benefits of this chapter
shall not by reason thereof be denied the benefits of chapter
37 of this title[; however, except as provided in subsection
(b) of this section, the assistance authorized by section 2101
of this title shall not be available to any individual more
than once].
(b) An individual eligible for assistance under section
2101(b) of this title shall not by reason of such eligibility
be denied benefits for which such individual becomes eligible
under section 2101(a) of this title or benefits relating to
home health services under section 1717(a)(2) of this title.
[However, no particular type of adaptation, improvement, or
structural alteration provided to an individual under section
1717(a)(2) of this title may be provided to such individual
under section 2101(b) of this title.]
(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.
* * * * * * *
Sec. 2106. Veterans' mortgage life insurance
[(a) The United States shall automatically insure any
eligible individual age 69 or younger who is or has been
granted assistance in securing a suitable housing unit under
this chapter against the death of the individual unless the
individual (1) submits to the Secretary in writing the
individual's election not to be insured under this section, or
(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.]
(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.
(b) The amount of insurance provided an individual under this
section may not exceed the lesser of $150,000, or after January
1, 2012, $200,000, or the amount of the loan outstanding on the
housing unit. The amount of such insurance shall be reduced
according to the amortization schedule of the loan and may not
at any time exceed the amount of the outstanding loan with
interest. If there is no outstanding loan on the housing unit,
insurance is not payable under this section. If an eligible
individual elects not to be insured under this section, the
individual may thereafter be insured under this section, but
only upon submission of an application, payment of required
premiums, and compliance with such health requirements and
other terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the
Secretary.
(c) The premiums charged an individual for insurance under
this section shall be paid at such time and in such manner as
the Secretary prescribes. The rates for such premiums shall be
based on such mortality data as the Secretary considers
appropriate to cover only the mortality cost of insuring
standard lives. In the case of an individual receiving
compensation or other cash benefits paid to the individual by
the Secretary, the Secretary shall deduct from such
compensation or other benefits the premiums charged the
individual under this section.
(d)(1) The United States shall bear the costs of insurance
under this section to the extent that such costs exceed
premiums established by the Secretary. Premiums collected on
insurance under this section shall be credited to the
``Veterans Insurance and Indemnities''' appropriation account,
and all disbursements of insurance proceeds under this section
shall be made from that account.
(2) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
for such account such amounts as may be necessary to carry out
this section.
(e) Any amount of insurance in force under this section on
the date of the death of an individual insured under this
section shall be paid to the holder of the mortgage loan, for
payment of which the insurance was granted, for credit on the
loan indebtedness. Any liability of the United States under
such insurance shall be satisfied when such payment is made. If
the Secretary is the holder of the mortgage loan, the insurance
proceeds shall be credited to the loan indebtedness and,
deposited in the Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund
established by section 3722 of this title.
(f) The Secretary may prescribe such regulations relating to
eligibility for insurance under this section, the maximum
amount of insurance, the effective date of insurance, the
maximum duration of insurance, and other pertinent matters not
specifically provided for in this section as the Secretary
determines are in the best interest of veterans or the United
States.
(g) The amount of the insurance in force at any time shall be
the amount necessary to pay the mortgage indebtedness in full,
except as otherwise limited by subsection (b) of this section
or regulations prescribed by the Secretary under this section.
(h) The Secretary shall issue to each individual insured
under this section a certificate setting forth the benefits to
which the individual is entitled under the insurance.
(i) Insurance under this section shall terminate upon
whichever of the following events first occurs:
(1) Satisfaction of the individual's indebtedness
under the loan upon which the insurance is based.
(2) Termination of the individual's ownership of the
property securing the loan.
(3) Discontinuance of payment of premiums by the
individual.
(j) Termination of life insurance under this section shall
not affect the guaranty or insurance of the loan by the
Secretary.
* * * * * * *
PART III--READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER 31--TRAINING AND REHABILITATION FOR VETERANS WITH SERVICE-
CONNECTED DISABILITIES
* * * * * * *
Sec. 3104. Scope of services and assistance
(a) Services and assistance which the Secretary may provide
under this chapter, pursuant to regulations which the Secretary
shall prescribe, include the following:
(1) Evaluation, including periodic reevaluations as
appropriate with respect to a veteran participating in
a rehabilitation program, of the potential for
rehabilitation of a veteran, including diagnostic and
related services (A) to determine whether the veteran
has an employment handicap or a serious employment
handicap and whether a vocational goal is reasonably
feasible for such veteran, and (B) to provide a basis
for planning a suitable vocational rehabilitation
program or a program of services and assistance to
improve the vocational rehabilitation potential or
independent living status of such veteran, as
appropriate.
(2) Educational, vocational, psychological,
employment, and personal adjustment counseling.
(3) An allowance and other appropriate assistance, as
authorized by section 3108 of this title.
(4) A work-study allowance as authorized by section
3485 of this title.
(5) Placement services to effect suitable placement
in employment, and postplacement services to attempt to
insure satisfactory adjustment in employment.
(6) Personal adjustment and work adjustment training.
(7)(A) Vocational and other training services and
assistance, including individualized tutorial
assistance, tuition, fees, books, supplies, handling
charges, licensing fees, and equipment and other
training materials determined by the Secretary to be
necessary to accomplish the purposes of the
rehabilitation program in the individual case.
(B) Payment for the services and assistance provided
under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall be made
from funds available for the payment of readjustment
benefits.
(8) Loans as authorized by section 3112 of this
title.
(9) Treatment, care, and services described in
chapter 17 of this title.
(10) Prosthetic appliances, eyeglasses, and other
corrective and assistive devices.
(11) Services to a veteran's family as necessary for
the effective rehabilitation of such veteran.
(12) For veterans with the most severe service-
connected disabilities who require homebound training
or self-employment, or both homebound training and
self-employment, such license fees and essential
equipment, supplies, and minimum stocks of materials as
the Secretary determines to be necessary for such a
veteran to begin employment and are within the criteria
and cost limitations that the Secretary shall prescribe
in regulations for the furnishing of such fees,
equipment, supplies, and stocks.
(13) Travel and incidental expenses under the terms
and conditions set forth in section 111 of this title,
plus, in the case of a veteran who because of such
veteran's disability has transportation expenses in
addition to those incurred by persons not so disabled,
a special transportation allowance to defray such
additional expenses during rehabilitation, job seeking,
and the initial employment stage.
(14) Special services (including services related to
blindness and deafness) including--
(A) language training, speech and voice
correction, training in ambulation, and one-
hand typewriting;
(B) orientation, adjustment, mobility,
reader, interpreter, and related services; and
(C) telecommunications, sensory, and other
technical aids and devices.
(15) Services necessary to enable a veteran to
achieve maximum independence in daily living.
(16) Other incidental goods and services determined
by the Secretary to be necessary to accomplish the
purposes of a rehabilitation program in an individual
case.
(b) A rehabilitation program (including individual courses)
to be pursued by a veteran shall be subject to the approval of
the Secretary. To the maximum extent practicable, a course of
education or training may be pursued by a veteran as part of a
rehabilitation program under this chapter only if the course is
approved for purposes of chapter 30 or 33 of this title. The
Secretary may waive the requirement under the preceding
sentence to the extent the Secretary determines appropriate.
(c)(1) The Secretary shall have the authority to administer
this chapter by prioritizing the provision of services under
this chapter based on need, as determined by the Secretary. In
evaluating need for purposes of this subsection, the Secretary
shall consider disability ratings, the severity of employment
handicaps, qualification for a program of independent living,
income, and any other factor the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(2) Not later than 90 days before making any changes to the
prioritization of the provision of services under this chapter
as authorized under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit
to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House
of Representatives a plan describing such changes.
(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.
* * * * * * *